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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27719434">Waiting For You</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/emo_sunshine42/pseuds/emo_sunshine42'>emo_sunshine42</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Gravity Falls</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Affectionate Bill Cipher, Affectionate Dipper Pines, Alternate Universe - Reincarnation, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Background Pacifica Northwest/Mabel Pines - Freeform, Background Relationships, Bill Cipher/Dipper Pines Fluff, Bill Cipher/Dipper Pines-centric, Character Death, Dipper Pines is a Dork, Fluff and Angst, Historical Inaccuracy, How Do I Tag, Human Bill Cipher, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Implied Sexual Content, Just left of Gravity Falls but Just Right of our world, M/M, Non-Binary Bill Cipher, Oblivious Dipper Pines, Older Dipper Pines, Protective Bill Cipher, Slow Burn, Trans Dipper Pines, but its fine they get better</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 16:28:02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>19,492</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27719434</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/emo_sunshine42/pseuds/emo_sunshine42</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The Axolotl paired them together in the beginning, before time was constructed, before the formation of the planet. They were meant to be together, whether near or far, in any time. </p><p>In which Dipper and Bill go through era after era together, the two souls to be on Earth the longest and never admitting to each other that they are soulmates.</p><p>Basically the Soulmate Au that nobody asked for, where you are reincarnated until you find your soulmate and admit to each other that you are soulmates. Once that is admitted, after you and your soulmate finish your time there, you go to basically the Good Place</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Bill Cipher/Dipper Pines</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>75</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>85</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Prologue, Whether Near or Far</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>    It was blue. Not the blue you’d expect, like the blue of a crayon or the depths of an ocean, but the blue of a sky in the morning, just after the sun had risen. Pink clouds floated by.</p><p> </p><p>    The pink obscured their vision somewhat.</p><p> </p><p>    They saw all. They knew all. They didn’t need good vision that much.</p><p> </p><p>    They moved the two human’s souls together. They’d be a good match, they thought. A match for all eternity. A shooting star and a llama. A six-fingered hand and a pair of glasses.</p><p> </p><p>    Two of the humans didn’t have a match. Not yet anyway.</p><p> </p><p>    A triangle.</p><p> </p><p>    A Pinetree</p><p> </p><p>    That could be interesting.</p><p> </p><p>    They had an idea.</p><p> </p><p>    They took the two’s souls. Melded them together.</p><p> </p><p>    The two would be together for all time. No matter what happened.</p><p> </p><p>    Whether near or far, they’d be together.</p><p> </p><p>    The frilled creature’s ever-present smile didn’t fade, even a tiny bit.</p><p> </p><p>    Their eyes remained the same.</p><p> </p><p>    The two would do amazing things together.</p><p> </p><p>    And the Axolotl knew it.</p><p> </p><p>    The two were sent down to Earth together. Metaphysical hand in metaphysical hand, together for eternity. Until the earth was merely a speck of dust, and humanity gone.</p><p> </p><p>DSVGSVI MVZI LI UZI, L DP DOZDBV BRXUV.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hi!<br/>What did you think? Was it good? Was it bad?<br/>Please leave your thoughts about this in the comments because I Crave Validation as a Writer.<br/>Have a good night/time!</p><p>Edit: fixed the editing, sorry abt that</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 1, I am Always Yours</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I was too excited to wait another week to post this.</p><p>Bill and Dip are in Egypt this time, hope you enjoy!</p><p>These chapters were edited by my good friend, who knows what he's doing, unlike me.</p><p>There isn't anything bad-bad, just the normal death-and-reincarnation thing in this chapter, let me know if something needs tagged thought!</p><p>Hqt is beer, and Bast is the cat goddess in Egyptian mythology.</p><p>Edit: Wow the formatting on this chapter was terrible. Fixed it, so it should be fine now.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>    Dipper sighed and put the papyrus scroll on the shelf from which it came. It had been a long day, and he was stressed about the rise of the Romans and their negotiations with the Pharaoh.</p><p> </p><p>    A shadow fell over Dipper, sifting through the scrolls on the bottom shelf. Dipper, being lost in thought and not paying that much attention to the things around him, jolted in surprise when the light he was using to look was obscured. He stood up quickly and was face-to-face with a man.</p><p> </p><p>    “I’m so sorry, how can I help you?” Dipper said, embarrassed. The man had fine clothing and what appeared to be lapis lazuli on his collar. The man probably was close to the Pharaoh in some way. He had blond hair and dark skin, and he was handsome.</p><p> </p><p>    “I’m looking for a text on medicine, actually. Could you help me find it?” The man said, speaking softly. Dipper went through mentally what the man could possibly want in medicine but shook his head and offered a hand.</p><p> </p><p>    “Right this way… I’m sorry, I don’t know what to call you, who are you?” Dipper asked, genuinely confused. The man chuckled and took Dipper’s hand. Tingles shot down his hand and the man’s hand in his own felt right. Somehow.</p><p> </p><p>    “The name’s Bill. I’m the vizier to the Pharaoh. And I take it you’re a librarian here?” Bill said. Dipper gasped. He thought he might be close to the Pharaoh but not that close.</p><p> </p><p>    “I am so sorry for treating you with disrespect, my Lord,” Dipper said bowing to the man. Bill chuckled again and took Dipper’s hands and brought him back up straight.</p><p> </p><p>    “Hey, kid, relax. And please, just call me Bill,” he said softly, winking and continuing to hold Dipper’s hands. Dipper looked into his eyes, a soft brown color, almost yellow, but not quite. He found himself getting lost in those eyes. They sparkled softly of mischief, even in the low lighting.</p><p> </p><p>    Letting go of only one of Dipper’s hands, Bill turned and tilted a head towards the rest of the library.</p><p> </p><p>    “Shall we find that medical text then?” Bill spoke softly, a smirk on his face. Dipper felt himself blushing. He nodded and they went deeper into the library.</p><hr/><p><br/>    It had been over a month since Dipper first met Bill. He frequented the library, and they became good friends. Bill had explained that technically he wasn’t supposed to go to places alone, that someone could try to assassinate him, Bill had said with a flick of his wrist and a mocking tone. Dipper had laughed softly at his friend’s antics.</p><p> </p><p>    A year had passed since they became friends, with Dipper falling for Bill every time they talked. Bill was so smart and funny, and mischievous, and kind to people. It helped that Bill was handsome too. Dipper smiled to himself and the person next to him. Bill looked at the door of the library, hearing commotion.</p><p> </p><p>    “Well, looks like that’s my cue to leave. See you tomorrow, Pinetree!” Bill said, mock-saluting Dipper with a smile and leaving through the hole in the ceiling, with everyone’s attention being on the people in the doorway, making it out without being noticed.</p><p> </p><p>    Dipper hit his head on the shelf behind him. Why did his friend have to be so good at everything, and so pretty while doing it? Dipper sighed and went home. He walked through the doorway of his home and saw Mabel getting dinner ready. Dates, bread, and hqt. Just like normal.</p><p> </p><p>    “Hey, Dipper! How was the library today?” She asked, smiling brightly like usual. “Did Bill stop by again?” She knew Dipper liked him a lot. She teased him about it often and it annoyed him. She loved that, though. He blew a piece of brown hair out of his eyes and looked at his sister dead in the face.</p><p> </p><p>    “Yeah. Why does he have to be so cute?” He moaned, hitting his head on the table after sitting down. Mable patted his back sympathetically.</p><p> </p><p>    “It’ll be okay.”</p><p> </p><p>    “He probably doesn’t even like me.”</p><p> </p><p>    “He does! If he didn’t, he wouldn’t talk to you or hang out with you every day.”</p><p> </p><p>    “He probably only tolerates me because he feels obligated.”</p><p> </p><p>    “Bill wouldn’t do that.”</p><p> </p><p>    “Sure." Dipper rolled his eyes fondly. "How’s Pacifica?”</p><p> </p><p>    “Really good, actually! We had a ceremony for the Pharaoh’s pyramid-placing today and I saw her!”</p><p> </p><p>    “Really? That’s good.”</p><p> </p><p>    “Yeah! She looked really pretty, and I barely remembered what I was doing.”</p><p> </p><p>    “Oof,” Dipper said, and Mabel continued talking about the other priestess she had a serious crush on, talking well into the night.</p><hr/><p><br/>    Bill climbed in through the window, looking up to see his cousin.</p><p> </p><p>    “Where have you been?”</p><p> </p><p>    “The city.”</p><p> </p><p>    “Did you go to see your librarian boyfriend again?” Pacifica said, tauntingly. Bill’s face flushed and he stumbled over the ledge of the window. He brushed himself off and stood up straight.</p><p> </p><p>    “He’s not my boyfriend, and yes,” he commented curtly, looking at her. “We’re just friends.”</p><p> </p><p>    “Oh, please. He basically is. But if you want to be stuck in the land of denial, that’s fine by me.” She remarked, beginning to smile. “You’ll never guess who I saw at the ceremony for the Pharaoh today.”</p><p> </p><p>    “Who?” He said blandly.</p><p> </p><p>    “That one priestess, the one for Bast.”</p><p> </p><p>    “What’s her name again?”</p><p> </p><p>    “It’s Mabel.”</p><p> </p><p>    “Ah. She married?”</p><p> </p><p>    “No! Dork!” Pacifica punched his shoulder lightly. Bill laughed, rubbing his shoulder.</p><p> </p><p>    “Ow!” Bill laughed. Pacifica shoved him back “My own cousin, betraying me! Oh, the humanity!”</p><p> </p><p>    “You’re dam right!” She said, laughing with him. Bill looked at his cousin, smiling, and Pacifica smiled back. He thought back on the boy in the library, his smile and his soft brown hair. He smiled a bit more, thinking back on his friend.</p><hr/><p><br/>    Dipper sighed and walked into the library. The Library of Alexandria. The biggest library in the world. It wasn’t that big of a deal. He needed to get a text from the archives for Mabel for the ceremony the Pharaoh wanted, and Mabel had asked him to go for her. It was fine. When he had told Bill about it, and offered Bill coming too, Bill had looked sad, and said he was busy tonight.</p><p> </p><p>    Dipper smiled at the thought of Bill. He lit a torch and walked into the library.</p><hr/><p><br/>    It was simple, really. A match to start it all. Wood ships. A house or two by the seaside.</p><p> </p><p>    The library.</p><p> </p><p>    Dipper heard the far-off screams from inside the library, taking no interest. The Romans had been at it for days. It probably was just the Roman soldiers on the sea. He ignored them, opting to keep looking for the scroll Mabel wanted.</p><p> </p><p>    “FIRE! FIRE!” Dipper’s head shot up at that. A building full of papyrus, all flammable. It would go up in flames in moments if the flames reached the building. Dipper looked back to the wall of texts and looked through faster, grabbing handfuls at a time, and looking for the one title he needed. He heard a crash at the door, something falling, maybe a bookshelf. He felt his heart thump in his chest. Mabel’s scroll was not important if it burned with him.</p><p> </p><p>    He ran to the doorway. He could feel his heart beating in his chest. He turned a corner to get out of the building, the exit was right there-</p><p> </p><p>    His only exit was blocked.</p><hr/><p>    Bill sat at the table in his room, looking over the Pharaoh’s papyruswork. It was about the pyramid again, and the taxes that came along with it. He picked up his stylus after reading through it, and crossed out a few numbers, making sure to give the librarians less to do.</p><p> </p><p>    He smiled softly, thinking of his friend. He was smart and knew every inch of the library like the back of his hand. He loved reading the epics, and had a long history with the library, as one of his uncles helped get the library started it a long time ago. Bill startled as he heard shouting from outside.</p><p> </p><p>    “FIRE! FIRE! SOMEONE HELP! THE LIBRARY- “Bill jumped out of his seat. The library. What if Dipper was in there? Before the thought had fully crossed his mind, Bill was out of his seat and running out the door.</p><hr/><p>    Dipper hit the bookshelf in front of the door, screaming for help. He coughed, the air thick with black smoke. Somebody hit back on the bookshelf, calling his name.</p><p> </p><p>    “Bill?” He coughed. The library must’ve caught fire if the smoke was this thick.</p><p> </p><p>    “DIPPER! DIPPER, ARE YOU IN THERE?!” Bill yelled back, pounding on the door. Dipper heard him yell something, but he couldn’t make it out. He must be starting to pass out. Dipper slid down the bookshelf. It wasn’t going to move. He wasn’t going to make it out.</p><p> </p><p>    “Bill-” Dipper croaked out. The smoke was everywhere, it was in his lungs, it was in his brain. The smoke was never-ending, to the point where Dipper could not tell where the smoke began, and he ended.</p><p> </p><p>    “Dipper. Dipper, talk to me.” Bill said through the door. There was a sense of urgency in his voice, and the world seemed to still for a moment. The fire wasn’t tearing through precious texts and stories, Dipper wasn’t suffocating. It was just him and Bill. Tears went to Dipper’s eyes. Bill. His friend. He wouldn’t see him again, wouldn’t he? He was going to die here; he wouldn’t live to see him get excited over a story again or hear him laugh at one of Dipper’s jokes or stories of Mabel. He wouldn’t live to see him smile, so genuinely, at him ever again.</p><p> </p><p>    “Bill. Bill, I’m here. Bill–” Dipper said, his voice creaking and aching. He felt Bill exhale, felt him lean against the bookshelf that was at his back. “Bill, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” Tears were freely falling now, making tracks down his cheeks, through the soot that was slowly filling the room, his lungs- He couldn’t breathe.</p><p> </p><p>    “Pinetree, breathe. It’s alright. Please, stay with me, Dipper. Please, Dipper. I-” Bill sucked in a breath, a sob racking his throat. “Dipper, I need you. Please, stay with me. Please, Pinetree. Tell me about that text you were excited to read the other day, alright? Just please, stay with me, Pinetree.” Dipper felt his heart ache at his words. He never knew that Bill cared that much about him.</p><p> </p><p>    “Yeah, okay.”</p><p> </p><p>    “What’s it about, Pinetree? An adventure again?”</p><p> </p><p>    “Yeah, it’s about a man who lives in a house in the woods up north and finds anomalies and studies them.” Dipper breathed out. It was calming, talking to Bill.</p><p> </p><p>    “Tell me more about him, Dip. What was he like, what anomalies, talk to me, Pinetree?” Bill was crying at this point, leaning on the bookshelf, while people looked on in fear and curiosity. He paid them no mind, preferring to pay attention to his Pinetree on the other side of the bookshelf.</p><p> </p><p>    Dipper breathed black dots spotting the edges of his vision. He was running out of air.</p><p> </p><p>    “He liked to learn, ever since he was a kid. He left his family for his research and regretted it often. He learned about…” Dipper said, trailing off, taking another breath.</p><p> </p><p>    “Learned about what, Pinetree?” Bill felt his heart beat faster. What if he was unconscious before help arrived, Bill thought. He’d die then, and I’d be left without my- Without my best friend. He felt a wave of emotions hit him deep in his chest. He cared a lot more than he should for Dipper than he should for a best friend, doesn’t he?</p><p> </p><p>    “Learned about the strangeness of his world.” Dipper’s words were softly spoken, and barely hearable. “Bill, I don’t think I’ll be able to make it much longer.”</p><p> </p><p>    “Don’t say that, Dipper! Please, stay with me? Think about all the things we haven’t done! We still haven’t gotten our oblivious family members together.” Dipper chuckled lightly. They were pining idiots, most of the time. “We still haven’t read that story together, y’know, the one you love. So please, Pinetree, Dipper, stay with me a little bit longer. Please.” Bill took a breath. “I love you, Dipper. Please, stay with me, love.”</p><p> </p><p>    Dipper’s vision was almost completely covered in black, obscuring the oranges and reds of the fire in front of him. He felt warm, as if someone were holding him.</p><p> </p><p>    “I love you too, Bill.” The black dots completely obscured his vision and he slumped down the bookshelf even further, his mind leaking into unconsciousness.</p><p> </p><p>    “Dipper. Dipper! Pinetree, please, I love you, please stay with me, Pinetree. Pinetree!” Bill was fully crying now, sliding down the wall. He felt a hand on his shoulder, looking back to see a young woman, who looked almost like Dipper’s twin. He took her hand and stood up.</p><p> </p><p>    “I don’t believe we’ve met. I’m Mabel, Dipper’s twin. I presume you’re Bill?” Mabel said softly. She looked like she’d been weeping too. Bill just nodded, his heart aching. “He’s gone, isn’t he.” Bill just nodded again. Mabel had tears in her eyes now, looking at him. He gasped softly in surprise as she hugged him.</p><p> </p><p>    “I loved him. And now he’s gone.” Bill muttered under his breath, tears continuing to fall.</p><p> </p><p>QRERGB NQRZV BRX QRZ, DSVM BLFIV WBRMT RM OZ.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 2, Any Change In Time</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Tw: implied/referenced suicide attempt, illness,<br/>As always, let me know if I need to add stuff to either the tags or the notes.<br/>This chapter was edited, as always, by my friend. Thanks, man!</p><p>Hope you enjoy the chapter!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>    Bill sat at the edge of the building, just before nightfall. He looked out at his city, at the pink and purple sky in front of him and smiled softly. He looked out at the darkening sky, beginning to see the makings of the constellations he knew and loved; Andromeda and Orion, Vulpecula and Triangulum. He sighed softly and enjoyed the view in front of him. He was startled from his thoughts by a voice from behind him, making him promptly stand up.</p><p>    “Wait! Don’t jump!” The voice cried. Bill startled, looking at the man behind him from over his shoulder. The wind went through his hair, causing his blond and slightly long hair to go right in front of his face. His gold eyes sparkled as he looked at the newcomer. He had brown eyes and light skin, an arm outstretched towards Bill, as if to urge him to take it and come with him. Bill laughed slightly and looked at the man behind him. He was easy on the eyes, and Bill smiled at him.</p><p>    “Who said I was going to jump?” He said, a laugh in his words and a smile on his face. He fully turned around to face the man, who looked at him with a slight smile on his lips. Bill took the man’s outstretched hand, and pulled him towards Bill, close enough that if one of them moved much closer, they would headbutt the other. Bill leaned forward and whispered in his ear “Thank you for your concern, however,” and kissed his cheek. He leaned back to his own space, a smirk on his face, and, in seeing the other’s obvious blush, laughed a bit. The man laughed too, smiling widely. Bill could feel the heat radiating off his cheeks at the man’s smile.</p><p>    “Sorry for being concerned. The name’s Dipper Pines, and you?” Dipper said, squeezing his hand lightly.</p><p>    “Bill Cipher. No need to be sorry. Care to join me? The stars are sure to be beautiful tonight.”</p><p>    “I’d be delighted to, Bill.” He smiled softly and looked at Dipper, sitting down and patting the space next to him. With another smile that had Bill’s heart beating just a tiny bit faster, he joined him in watching the sky.</p>
<hr/><p>    “And then I said, ‘Sure I am, what’s your point?’” Bill finished, laughing. Dipper laughed next to him, holding a hand in front of his face and red with laughter and the chill air. Bill took a second to look at his friend, smiling to himself softly.</p><p>    “What did he say after that?” Dipper asked, still smiling and blushing</p><p>    “He shrieked and backed away, fast. It was hilarious, a tiny man-child yelling at me, who is a solid five pes taller than him.” Bill smirked at the memory. Dipper smiled too, looking brightly at Bill. He then frowned slightly, and Bill shot him a concerned look.</p><p>    “Sorry, I just realized I have to go. I promised my sister I’d be back before nightfall. See you tomorrow?” Dipper said apologetically. Bill nodded. Bill waved at him as he left, and as soon as he was gone, he sighed and looked at the stars that were just beginning to peek out. He smiled and began to trek back home.</p><p>    He opened the door, and looked at his brother, who was beginning to make dinner for him, his mother, and his cousin. He looked up at the sound of the door opening and smiled at Bill.</p><p>    “Hey, Will. What’s up?” He said tiredly, looking at .</p><p>    “Not much, just making dinner. How’s Dipper this evening?”</p><p>    “Good. We talked about the Gideon incident, which was interesting.”</p><p>    “Oh, fun. Did you tell him about the time he tried to molest Paz?”</p><p>    “Yep. He was concerned, unsurprisingly. He’s a good person.” Bill smiled slightly, and so did Will. He was glad his brother had fallen in love with a good man, even if he was too dense to realize that he had.</p>
<hr/><p>    Bill sat at the edge of the roof, pondering. Things had been bad lately. His mother had gotten even worse, and all of Will’s time was spent taking care of her, which meant Bill and Pacifica had to work more hours get the food that they needed. Bill had barely any time to go and talk to Dipper. To make matters worse, things had been... Darker than usual for him. He looked out at the town, and instead of seeing the beauty of the sky above him like he would’ve a month ago, he saw just a city, and nothing beyond it other than a trap.</p><p>    He sighed and brought his legs up to his chest. Dipper was later than he was in the past, and it worried him. What if Dipper had forgotten? What if he didn’t care anymore, that in their time apart, he had come to the realization that he didn’t like Bill as a person, and decided just not to show up ever again? He shook his head, clearing his brain of the thoughts that wouldn’t disappear. The longer it took, the more his brain worried and worried. Bill closed his eyes. Time seemed to slow down; time seemed to die. Five minutes alone became five centuries of loneliness.</p><p>    Bill gasped slightly, reeling back out of his thoughts as arms wrapped around him, holding him close to a chest. He felt the person breath under his head and found himself curling into the person. There was something wet on his cheeks, and he realized with a jolt that it was his own tears. The two stayed there for several minutes, Bill nestled into the person, and the person held him tight.</p><p>    Bill decided he never wanted to move from here.</p><p>    “Hey, Bill,” Dipper said, and Bill felt his heart swell. He nestled himself further into him, and breathed in Dipper, the smell of pine trees and soft leather.</p><p>    Bill came to a realization. Two realizations, in fact. He was in love with his best friend. And his best friend was his soulmate.</p><p>     An impression came to his head, a piece of the puzzle. The smell of smoke and a bright, burning orange. The thought was foreign, intrusive, but also his own, somehow.</p><p>    Bill opened his eyes and looked up at his friend, who was clearly concerned, with a question in his eyes.</p><p>    “Sorry, I haven’t been feeling the best. Can we just stay like this for a while?” Bill asked softly. Dipper nodded and Bill closed his eyes again, content to stay in the warm hold of his soulmate for a while. He drifted off to sleep, exhausted and warm. Dipper smiled down at his <strike>crush</strike> friend, standing up with as little jolting of the man in his arms and carried him downstairs. Bill stirred slightly and Dipper looked at him, concerned if he had woken him. Bill snuggled into Dipper and he could feel the blush on his cheeks. He was cute when he was asleep. Dipper carried him to his bed and laid him down there, being sure to tuck in his sleeping companion. Bill whined slightly in his sleep at the loss of Dipper’s warmth, and Dipper looked back at him.</p><p>    Bill’s hair was messy, and he looked like he had been crying for a while before Dipper had gotten to him. He’d probably be in the morning. Dipper walked out after a last glance at Bill before closing the door softly and going to talk to his sister.</p>
<hr/><p>     Bill woke up in a start. He looked around the unfamiliar room, trying to decipher what had happened. He saw Dipper asleep in a chair, his head resting on his hand, and it all came flashing back to him. Dipper holding him, realizing Dipper was his soulmate. Bill smiled to himself and looked at him, sitting up. Dipper woke up with a start, and looked up and around, smiling when he saw Bill.</p><p>     Another impression came to his head, this time smelling of pine trees and old books, the tightness in his? -Someone's chest from laughing. Shelves of stories and songs As soon as it appeared, the impression had dissipated, leaving only a memory. It confused him, where they came from. Were they a past life? Were they illusions like the ones performed by the people in the streets? He didn’t know.</p><p>    “Hey, all-seeing-idiot. How are you feeling?” Dipper said, still groggy. Bill just groaned. “That’s fair. Do you need anything?”</p><p>    “Can you… just hold me?” Bill felt the blush rise to his cheeks, and he could swear that Dipper was blushing too. Dipper obliged him though, laying down and bringing Bill into his . Bill sighed, closing his eyes, and was soon asleep. Dipper pressed a kiss to his forehead and drifted to sleep as well.</p>
<hr/><p>    A few weeks had passed since Dipper had last seen Bill, and he was worried for his friend, the last time he saw him was when Bill looked like he was about to- Dipper sucked in a breath and banished the thought. Bill was fine. He would be alright. He just had to focus on the trip in front of him and see Bill again when he got back home.</p><p>    Bill wasn't fine. His mother passed a week ago, Will had gotten sick a few days ago, seemingly the same affliction his mother had, and his cousin was showing the same symptoms. He hadn’t seen Dipper in weeks, and he was missing his soulmate. He sat at the edge of the building in peace and silence, looking out at the serene city in front of him. He exhaled softly. The sky began to darken, dark and angry clouds covering the sky, and Bill frowned. There was a storm coming.</p>
<hr/><p>    For the next few weeks, it was rainy and cool. Bill tried to take care of his family, with Will getting worse and worse daily and Pacifica coming down with the same illness while trying to take care of Will. Bill didn’t know how he himself had not gotten sick yet, he assumed it was just dumb luck, though. Dipper was still not back from his merchant trip, to the surprise of Bill. Normally, the trips took a week or two, maximum. This was reaching six. It was odd, and Bill was totally not missing Dipper.</p><p>    Dipper was on the ship back home, finally. It had been a longer trip than he had expected, the seasonal storms had pushed his schedule back more than he. His sister was in the cabin asleep, and he was on watch with his crew. They were all good, loyal men, and there was no other crew that Dipper would trust with such precious cargo.</p><p>    It had been a month or so since Dipper had seen Bill. He was more concerned than he was a few weeks ago, as if Bill were down then, he would be even more down now a few weeks since he’d seen his best friend. Probably.</p>
<hr/><p>   Bill stood at the edge of the roof, wind whipping through his hair. He sucked in a breath and looked over the edge, taking another step closer. He stepped over the edge, approaching the release of death, closing his eyes and smiling softly.</p><p>   He felt a tug on his wrist and a hand pulling him up. He felt strong arms wrapping around him, a head tuck into his neck. He opened his eyes in bewilderment. The arms released him from the tight hug and Bill took in the person who had stopped his jump. Dipper. He was tanner than the last time Bill saw him, but he was much the same. His soft brown eyes, the ones he had looked into so many times. Eyes he knew so well, yet never seemed to get enough of, never seemed to map their vast depths. He loved them, had loved them for longer than he probably knew. Brown eyes outlined by kohl or by the salt crystals of the sea, he knew those eyes. They had changed from Egypt, he realized. His lips were pressed in a worried line, and Bill knew him. He was probably the most stunning man Bill had ever seen in both lifetimes.</p><p>    “Hey, are you okay? Here, come with me.” Without waiting for a response, Dipper scooped Bill up into his arms, and carried him off the roof. Bill was silent the entire time, curling into his arms. He felt secure and safe, things he hadn’t felt in months. They went into the house, and into a seating area. Dipper set him down softly in a chair and sat in another one across from Bill. After a few moments of awkward silence, he moved to break it.</p><p>    “What happened?” He said awkwardly, and then, in realizing his words, stuttered and said, “I mean, you don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to, it’s something you probably don’t want to talk about and-“ He rambled on, and then seemed to catch himself. “Sorry, where are my manners? Hi, Bill.” Dipper smiled. Bill could feel his shoulders tense. He didn’t feel like talking, and Dipper seemed to gather that from his body language. Bill was curled in a tight ball on the chair and did not want to move or do anything.</p><p>    “It’s alright if you don’t want to talk. I understand,” Dipper smiled softly. Bill looked at him and felt the blood rush to his cheeks. Dipper was undeniably cute. He tucked his head back into himself and remained in the numbness that he had come to know. Feeling nothing.</p><p>    “Hey, Bill?” Bill looked up at the sound of his name. Dipper was looking at him, somehow even more concerned than before. “You know you can talk to me about anything, right?” Bill nodded. “Good. I don’t want to lose you.”</p>
<hr/><p>    Dipper sat at the edge of the roof. It was windy, and his hair was all in his face because of it. He sat and waited for Bill. Normally, Bill was there before Dipper, but today was obviously an off day. Bill was never this late though. Dipper frowned slightly. He pushed the worried thoughts out of his mind, instead lending an ear to the news of the city. There was an illness spreading through the poorer side of the city, an affliction from . He wondered slightly what they could have done to warrant the god’s wrath. The god’s temple was stuffed full of them, all offering what they could. Dipper hoped Bill was safe and protected from his wrath. He tended to forget to offer the gods things, he was working so often.</p><p>     Dipper hoped he hadn’t overworked himself again. He tended to do that often, and then get sick, and with the affliction spreading like wildfire, Bill couldn’t afford to get sick.</p>
<hr/><p>     Dipper heard the news weeks after it happened.</p><p>     Bill was dead. He had died of the illness that had spread a few weeks ago, after his mother, brother, sister, and cousin had all caught it and died.</p><p>     A few tears sprang to Dipper's eyes. He had lost an invaluable friend.</p><p>    Bill had never told him that his family was sick, either. He could have helped; he could have sent for the physicians in the city to come and aid them. He could have- but Bill didn’t tell him. If only Bill had talked to him, he might’ve still lived and be here today.</p><p>DFKLOOHV, DFKLOOHV, DFKLOOHV FRPH GRZQ, DLMG BLF TVG FK LUU, TVG FK LUU GSV ?</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I managed to get behind on my writing, and so this might be the only chapter for December unless I can get the time to write or the motivation. Sorry.</p><p>Hope you enjoyed this, and have a good day/night/evening!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 3, We Are Young Again</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>TW: slight blood and injury, internalized homophobia,<br/>Let me know if I need to tag anything!</p><p>Bill and Dipper are in the Middle ages- woot! Prepare for childhood friends fluff/angst!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>    Dipper gasped for breath, bent over with his hands resting on his knees. Bill stood beside him, a hand on the wall and gasping for breath as well. Dipper looked up and smiled at him, and Bill smiled back at his childhood friend.</p><p> </p><p>    “We got lucky there, didn’t we?” Dipper said, a laugh in his voice.</p><p> </p><p>    “Yeah, we’re lucky that the King didn’t notice us.”</p><p> </p><p>    “I thought he did see us, though?”</p><p> </p><p>    “We might have a bigger problem, then,” Dipper said, laughing lightly. Bill laughed with him.</p><p> </p><p>    “Mason!” Someone from behind them said. Dipper and Bill jerked to attention as the king swept to the front of them.</p><p> </p><p>   “King Stanford! What’s... what’s the matter?” Dipper stuttered, nervous, yet almost laughing. Bill watched the man and rested a hand lightly on the sword at his hip.</p><p> </p><p>    “Didn’t I just see you over at the west gate?” The king said, angrily. Bill looked at the king apprehensively subtly, but the didn’t notice, he was too busy glaring down Dipper to notice.</p><p> </p><p>    “My liege, we have not been over at the west side all day; we’ve been at the library. I swear it,” Bill stepped in before Dipper could say anything and blow their cover.</p><p> </p><p>    “Mason.” He looked at him dead in the eyes. “Is this true?” Dipper just nodded, and the king nodded slightly and walked away, dropping it. The second the king was out of earshot the two looked at each other and burst out laughing.</p><p> </p><p>     “Night, Pinetree. Sleep well,” Bill said, blowing out the candle in his hand. He heard a muffled “night” in response and nothing else. Pinetree was out like a light. Bill closed the door and sucked in a breath, leaning against the door. His heart calmed down and he began to walk back to his quarters, nodding to the guards at the door.</p><p> </p><p>    Dipper was an amazing friend, and Bill loved spending time with him. He was smart, and kind, and so unlike the other nobles Bill had interacted within his life. He was different, like the stars inscribed on his forehead. Bill liked how different his Pinetree was.</p>
<hr/><p>    Bill swung his sword at the bramble in front of him. Dipper peeked over his shoulder at his progress. Bill, when he was done, held out a hand for Dipper to take. Dipper took his hand and Bill brought him further into the forest. The midday light made the forest a beautiful mix of vibrant greens, making Dipper think of emeralds.</p><p> </p><p>    “Where are we going again?”</p><p> </p><p>    “I found this spot I thought you’d like it, but I couldn’t manage to get you here until now,” Bill said, walking with Dipper’s hand still in his. Dipper blushed and looked away, instead looking at the passing trees and greens of the forest around them. Bill stopped at a tree, bringing Dipper close.</p><p> </p><p>    “It’s just past the next few trees,” Bill said, gesturing with his head, taking Dipper’s other hand into his. He leaned his back against a tree and brought Dipper with him. “Go ahead and look whenever you’re ready,” he then said. Soon enough though, Dipper let go of Bill’s hands, straightened up, and walked through the trees. Bill was close behind, he could tell, but not in front of him, giving him some space.</p><p> </p><p>    Dipper came through the trees to a clearing. There was a waterfall bathed in sunlight, crystal clear, enough so that he could see to the bottom of the pool at the base of the waterfall. Dipper gasped slightly, looking at the beautiful setting.</p><p> </p><p>   “Bill, it’s…. It’s amazing!” Dipper looked back at Bill, smiling brightly and with a bright light in his eyes. Bill smiled back, looking at his friend softly.</p><p> </p><p>    “It’s said that mermaids swim at that pond, and sometimes you can find their scales at the bottom.” Dipper looked, skeptical, further taking in the details of the small pond.</p><p> </p><p>    “Where’d you hear that?”</p><p> </p><p>    “My mother.”</p><p> </p><p>    “Ah. Do you know where she got that information?”</p><p> </p><p>    “She’s seen one. She said she met her lover here, swimming with them. Almost frightened them away, if I remember the story correctly.”</p><p> </p><p>    “I’ll take your word for it.” They fell into a comfortable silence, sitting in the sun and watching the water <strike>and each other</strike> for several hours. That is, they were. Until they heard a low growl. Bill’s head shot back to where the sound coming from, and him being a warrior, it didn’t take him long to get to his feet. His eyes widened. It was no ordinary beast. He pulled Dipper off the ground, taking his hand and running back through the woods.</p><p> </p><p>    “We’ve got to run!” Bill said, pushing Dipper in front of him.</p><p> </p><p>    “Bill, what?! What’s going on?!”</p><p> </p><p>    “It’s a wendigo. GO! Run, Pinetree, and don’t stop! Don’t look back until you’re out of the forest! Don’t come back for me, I’ll make it back out. Just go!” Bill drew his sword, stopping and turning to look at the crashing creature coming through the trees. Dipper looked at him for a second, the determination set in his eyes, the strong sword stance he took from years of training, before turning on his heel and running through the forest.</p>
<hr/><p>    Dipper didn’t know how long he stood at the edge of the forest, looking for even the slightest bit of movement, and hopefully see Bill coming through the trees.</p><p> </p><p>    It was getting dark, the sky now a deep rose where the sun met the horizon. Soon enough, he’d be able to see the stars. He looked to the tree line, seeing a dash of movement coming through the dimly lit woods.</p><p> </p><p>    “Bill?” He called out cautiously. A groan responded with the snapping of several twigs and sticks. “Bill!” Dipper began running towards the trees, towards his friend. He reached a fallen Bill, who laid on the ground. There was blood coming from somewhere, and he was still conscious, barely.</p><p> </p><p>    “Bill! Here, take my hand. We have to get you back so the healers can help you, you just gotta stay conscious for me, okay?” Bill groaned again, and he took that as a yes. Dipper lifted Bill’s arm up and over his shoulder and began to walk back to the castle. Bill groaned again. “I know it hurts. We just have to make it to the castle. Then, we can get someone to help you.” They stumbled their way there, calling for the guards to get the healers.</p>
<hr/><p>    Bill groaned, attempting to sit up. Burning pain spread through his body, and a pair of hands pushed him down.</p><p> </p><p>    “Woah, easy there, angled asshole. You got a hole through your chest for m, take it easy.” <em>Pinetree</em>. He was safe. He was safe. Dipper was safe. Bill opened his eyes, seeing Dipper staring at him.</p><p> </p><p>    “What happened?” Bill’s voice cracked slightly with misuse, and he closed his eyes. He probably had broken something, it hurt to breathe.</p><p> </p><p>   “Well, you came out of the forest stumbling and covered in blood. I carried you back to the castle where you were healed. You’ve been out for three days, Bill.” He frowned, then immediately winced at the pain that shocked through his system. His Pinetree was beginning to cry, wasn’t he? His voice was dripping with an emotion he couldn’t describe something between longing and pain. He felt a drop hit his cheek; he was definitely crying now.</p><p> </p><p>    "They thought you wouldn't wake up, Bill. I thought I had lost you. <em>I thought I had lost you.</em>" There was a hand on his chest, softly pressing down. Bill groaned slightly and the hand lightened up. Bill reached his hand up tentatively and held on to his wrist, opening his eyes. He looked into Dipper's eyes, a deep brown softened by tears.</p><p> </p><p>    “Sapling, I said I would come back. Nothing in the world would stop me from doing that except death itself. I wouldn’t leave you like that if I could do something to stop it. And look- I’m fine! I’m not dead, I swear. This is real.” Bill held Dipper’s hand to his chest, letting him feel his heartbeat. Dipper sucked in a shaky breath, holding Bill’s eyes. Bill came to the abrupt realization that Dipper could tear out his heart and stomp on it and he’d probably thank him.</p><p><br/>
     “You scared me, Bill. You scared me.” Dipper slumped down, leaning his head on Bill. Bill’s other hand, the one that wasn’t holding Dipper’s, went to Dipper’s back, tracing soothing circles. Dipper shuddered, breathing hard and curling into Bill’s chest. Bill winced and took a deep breath. He held his friend and kept rubbing circles into his back. Eventually, his breath evened out and snores were coming from Dipper. Bill moved some hair from Dipper’s face, running his fingers along his face. </p><p><br/>
    “Get some sleep, sapling. You need the rest,” Bill said, kissing Dipper’s hand. <br/>
    Dipper felt warm and smiled, not wanting to free himself from the warmth around him. He nuzzled into the pillow, and the arms around him tightened. And with that, he fell asleep, finally at peace with what had just happened. He had made it, he said to himself, the last thought in his head. He had made it, and he was alive.</p>
<hr/><p>    Dipper’s eyes snapped open. He pushed himself up onto his elbows and looked at Bill’s face. His features looked softer when he was asleep, not worried or happy, just existing; just here. Dipper’s hand brushed a stray piece of hair out of his face. Bill’s eyes opened, revealing the light brown, almost yellow eyes.</p><p><br/>
     “Hey, sapling. Rest well?” Dipper blushed, looking at Bill softly.</p><p><br/>
     “Yeah. How do you feel?” </p><p><br/>
     “As good as someone can when they’ve been impaled, basically.” At Dipper’s wondering eyes, he elaborated: “Like a living dumpster fire.” Dipper mouthed “oh.” He then shot up straight off Bill. He groaned and winced, and a slew of apologies came from Dipper.</p><p><br/>
    “Sorry, me lying on your chest probably hurt a lot, and it was entirely my fault and you don’t need to be in more pain because of me and-” Bill shushed him, sitting up and hugging him. His breathing was ragged, and his eyes were closed, pushing through pain, but that was less important than comforting his sapling, his Pinetree, his precious Dipper, who he’d die for. Warmth filled his chest, and it was either more blood soaking his bandages, or it was love. Love- something Bill was foreign to in the romantic sense.</p><p> </p><p>    He loved his best friend. His charge that he was supposed to take care of. Dipper, his friend since childhood, the bookworm and adventurer that he cared for with all his heart. He was in love with Dipper Pines, his best friend.</p><p> </p><p>    “It’s alright, Pinetree. You did nothing wrong.” All at once, he was brought back to the present, to the strong sapling in his arms.</p><p> </p><p>    “But I hurt you.”</p><p> </p><p>    “You didn’t hurt me. If anything, you stopped me from standing up - which would hurt more - and walking home - which would hurt more than that. I bet the healers would thank you.”</p><p> </p><p>    Dipper considered his words, tears forming in his eyes. He gripped Bill’s back, letting the tears fall.</p><p> </p><p>   “If you both are done, I need to change his bandages,” , making Dipper blush and let go. Bill scooched back and allowed the nurse to change his bandages, winking at Dipper, He walked back to his room with Bill’s replacement guard. He needed to bathe and change. He hadn’t moved from Bill’s side other than eating for days now.</p>
<hr/><p>    “Hey, Pinetree.” Dipper looked up from his book three moons later to Bill’s voice, shooting out of his chair.</p><p> </p><p>    “Bill! You’re okay!” He stood up and hugged Bill, nestling his head in his neck, breathing him in.</p><p> </p><p>    “Yeah, sapling. I’m okay. The King gave the okay after the healers checked over the injury again. How have you been?” Bill pulled back, holding Dipper by his shoulders, eyes alight, looking over Dipper.</p><p> </p><p>     “I’m fine. Just the usual, my parents badgering me over marriage again. Y’know, the usual.” Dipper looked over Bill, looking for any sign of pain or discomfort. Bill sat them back down on the bed and motioned for him to continue. “They made me dance with this girl at one of the last parties, of course. And it’s not that she’s not pretty, but I just-” </p><p><br/>
    “Go on.”</p><p><br/>
    “Don’t feel interested? I guess?”</p><p><br/>
    “Okay. Do you just feel not interested in people, or are you interested in people other than, like, ladies?”</p><p><br/>
    “I’m interested in ladies! They just don’t appeal to me!” Bill gave Dipper a pointed look. Dipper felt his face flush. “I don’t know! Women don’t interest me; I know that much! But if I were attracted to anyone else, I’d get mutilated if I were caught and probably burned because it’d make my uncle so mad and disappointed!”</p><p> </p><p>    “Dipper. Do you like guys?” Bill asked, his expression serious.</p><p><br/>
    “No, I… Maybe? God, I don’t know!” Dipper held his face in his hand and flopped back on his bed. Bill patted his shoulder soothingly.</p><p><br/>
    “If you were, I wouldn’t turn you in.”</p><p><br/>
    Dipper sat up.</p><p><br/>
    “You wouldn’t?”</p><p><br/>
    “Of course not! You’re my best friend, I wouldn’t do that. And, if you’re that worried about getting caught if you had a male lover, I’m sure my mom would be happy to put you up, as long as you’re okay with it. You could get away from here.”</p><p><br/>
    “I thought your mother was dead!”</p><p><br/>
    He blinked, as if he regretted saying that. And then said, “Promise not to tell your uncle or anyone outside of this room about this?”</p><p><br/>
    “I promise.”</p><p><br/>
    “She lives in a cabin in the woods with her soulmate. Who, lucky for her, is a mermaid who did something so she could live on land with my mother.”</p><p><br/>
     “Mermaid? She’s a sodomite? How did she have you?”</p><p> </p><p>“She was married off by her father for money. He died when I was young, though.”</p><p> </p><p>    “Oh.”</p><p> </p><p>    “‘Oh’ indeed.” Bill gave him a half smile. “Anyways, I’m sure she’d be happy to put you up if you wanted. You and your lover could live there, free from the palace. I could visit from time to time, and you’d be happy.”</p><p> </p><p>    “Bill, I can’t do that. I have a duty here.”</p><p> </p><p>    “But you could be with the person you want! You could be away from the stress, read as much as you’d like! Go on adventures! You could be happy!” Bill held his hands and smiled. He brought his hands to his lips and kissed them. “And that’s all I want for you.”</p><p> </p><p>    “Bill, stop.” Dipper stood up abruptly. “I can’t do that. So just drop it.” Dipper turned to the door. “I’m going to the library.” Without another word, Dipper went through the door, walking to the library with the guard that had stood outside. More alone than ever.</p><p> </p><p>    Bill watched his friend go. His heart ached for him, but he said nothing in fear of Dipper telling someone about his mother. He watched his friend, the love of his life, walk through the door, a myriad of bad feelings swirling through his chest because of him. His heart clenched. He turned his head away to the window, watching the clouds pass by.</p><p>VPDOO WRZQ ERB LQ D ELJ DUFDGH, R TLG ZWWRXGVW GL Z OLHRMT TZNV</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hope you enjoyed it!</p><p>I'll be taking a bit of a break for winter vacation, catching up on writing and homework, that stuff. Merry crisis, and see you in a few weeks!</p><p>Comment maybe? Comments give motivation and serotonin for writing, and both are endangered in my brain<br/>Have a good day/night/evening</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 4, Lay Us Down</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>TW: Knives, prison.</p><p>I liked writing this one.<br/>Have it posted early, as a treat.</p><p>Happy late holidays!</p><p>As always, thank you to my friend for editing and beta reading!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>   Dipper hadn't talked to bill in days, instead allowing for a very unsettling silence to settle over them. Dipper merely ignored Bill, and Bill allowed it, giving him his space. Bill shifted awkwardly at the door of the library, nodding at the duke who walked in.</p><p> </p><p>    "What's he going in for?" He asked the guard next to him.</p><p> </p><p>    “I think he’s going to talk to yours. About what, I don’t know.”</p><p> </p><p>    “Huh. Do you mind if I go and check on them?”</p><p> </p><p>    “Not at all.”</p><p> </p><p>    “Thanks,” Bill nodded and went inside. He softly opened the door and went inside on muffled footsteps. He looked around him, making sure nobody was around him. It was a big library, he had to be careful.</p><p> </p><p>   “….. And tell anyone about this and they’ll all know what you are. I reckon you’ll be burned, being the nephew of the king and a sodomite.” A man drawled from a table a few shelves over. Bill quietly drew a knife, creeping around a bookshelf. Duke Gideon Gleeful was leaning over Pinetr- Dipper. Bill growled as soft as he could. He didn’t want to call attention to himself just yet. He crept behind the man, still taunting Dipper. Dipper’s eyes widened as he saw Bill. He opened his mouth as if to speak and Bill held a finger over his mouth. Not yet, don’t call attention to me yet, sapling.</p><p> </p><p>   Bill swiftly brought himself behind Gideon, pressing the knife in his hands to his throat. He made a startled sound, reeling backwards.</p><p> </p><p>   “Careful. Wouldn’t want to make a mess now, would we.” Bill growled lowly under his breath. Gideon and Dipper were both wide-eyed, one staring at Dipper, the other staring at Bill.</p><p> </p><p>    “Cipher. Should’ve guessed that you’d hold a knife to the neck of a nobleman,” Gideon said, an edge of fear in his voice.</p><p> </p><p>    “Yeah, you should’ve. Now, listen closely, Gleeful,” Bill said, pressing the knife against Gideon’s neck more, making the man’s breath catch in his throat and body go stiff. “You won’t speak of this. What you heard is none of your concern, and if I hear of you blabbing about it to anyone else, this knife will go clean through your neck. If you threaten Mason again, I can guarantee that they will not find your body. Understood?” Gideon nodded. Bill released him, quickly moving behind Dipper, who only stared at him in shock and awe. Gideon rubbed his throat and walked out of the room. Bill immediately turned to Dipper, reaching a hand towards him, and then backing off, remembering their mutual silence. “Are you alright?”</p><p> </p><p>    “Yeah.”</p><p> </p><p>    “Good. Do you want to stay here or go somewhere?”</p><p> </p><p>    “Let’s go back to my rooms. I fear I’ve grown weary of this place for the day,” Dipper said, picking up the book he had been reading and moving towards the door, Bill following him. He opened the door to see the King’s royal guard with the King himself standing there, along with his boss.</p><p> </p><p>    “Sir Bill Cipher, you have been accused of threatening a Duke of the King’s court. You need to come with us,” Robbie, Bill’s boss, said lowly, looking at Bill sympathetically. Bill held out his wrists, letting Robbie tie them together and haul him off. Dipper only looked on in shock. Bill looked at Dipper sadly, then went with the guards.</p><p> </p><p>    Dipper remembered what Bill did for him, holding a knife to a Duke’s throat and threatening him for him. Protecting him. His heart melted slightly, and looked at Bill’s retreating back, watching his friend go. His heart ached for him, but he said nothing in fear of his uncle. He watched his friend, the person he’d known all his life, walk away, a myriad of bad feelings swirling through his chest because of him. His heart clenched. He began walking to his room alone, watching the passing cobblestones.</p>
<hr/><p>    Dipper didn’t watch the trial. He didn’t want to watch his best friend be sentenced to death, or whatever sentence was to be decided. He didn’t want to go anywhere. Do anything. He just wanted to stay in bed. Sadly, he was required to be there when Bill’s sentence was followed through. Dipper slipped on a cloak over his normal outfit, an embroidered vest, white shirt, and pants. Dipper slipped through the door, walking quickly down the hall, towards the dungeons.</p><p> </p><p>    Bill sat on the ground, chains around his ankles and wrists, head down. At the soft whispering of cloth, he looked up. His eyes widened when he saw Dipper.</p><p> </p><p>    “Pinetree?” He reached a hand towards him, shocked to see such a bright soul in such a dark place. He retracted his hand, remembering where him and Dipper stood. Dipper smiled slightly, despite this.</p><p> </p><p>    Dipper walked closer to the bars, taking off his cloak. “Is it cold in there?” At Bill’s nod, he wordlessly extended the cloak. He sat down, Bill shuffling to the wall next to Dipper, leaning against it. Dipper leaned a head against the bars.</p><p> </p><p>    “Why did we ever let things get so messy between us?”</p><p> </p><p>    “Fear. Fear drives us to do most things. You were terrified of what you are and what that meant and acted as such. The lack of communication only worsened things, especially when I pushed what you are onto you.” Bill looked at Dipper solemnly. “You are what you are, Pinetree. You can’t change that. What you can control what you do about it. Not how other people react, whether good or bad. What you do about it, nothing else.”</p><p> </p><p>   “I reacted poorly to you trying to help. I’m sorry, Bill,” Dipper started tearing up, looking at his best friend who was about to be hung, and feeling the full weight of his emotions upon him. Bill reached a hand through the bars, the chains clanking all the way to where Bill wiped the tears off his cheeks, smiling sadly.</p><p> </p><p>    “I was so pushy, Pinetree. And I was, because…” Bill trailed off into thought, considering his words. “Because I love you, sapling.” Bill looked straight at him, eyes sad and tired. Dipper looked at him, eyes wide and mouth open slightly in shock.</p><p> </p><p>    “Bill, I-” Dipper’s eyes widened as the sound of footsteps echoed down the hallway. Bill motioned for Dipper to go, and he was hit by the memory of Bill yelling at him to run. His heart panged, and he walked quickly off in the opposite direction of the ever-nearing footsteps. Dipper looked at Bill one last time before going around a corner. He looked resigned and sad, being pulled up to his feet and being dragged off.</p>
<hr/><p>    Dipper watched from the front of the crowd as Bill was brought up to the platform, the tree and rope hanging ominously in front of him. Dipper watched as Bill stared at the rope and noose, resigned to his fate. There was a ringing in his ears, everything seemed to blur. He missed what the King said.</p><p> </p><p>    He didn’t deserve this. His best friend- love interest- friend did not deserve this.</p><p> </p><p>    Bill steps walks up to the rope, allowing the rope to be draped around his neck.</p><p> </p><p>    He didn’t deserve this.</p><p> </p><p>    “Wait!”</p><p> </p><p>     Heads turn. He doesn’t care. He only cares about his friend, his potential lover staring at him bug eyed. He gave him a fierce look in return, one full of fire and flame. He keeps talking, waxing poetic about how Gideon was a traitor and a liar, and how Bill was only protecting him. And they believed him. His half-truths, his sugar-coated words. They believed him. Dipper smirked.</p><p> </p><p>    They let Bill walk free.</p>
<hr/><p>    “Pinetree? You in here?” Dipper looked up, seeing Bill. He stood up, walking over to him and setting his book down. He took Bill’s hand in his, kissing it while holding eye contact. Bill visibly flushed, saying nothing.</p><p> </p><p>    “I think I love you too.” Dipper leaned in close, whispering his words close to Bill’s ear, kissing his cheek and then backing off a bit, letting him lead. Bill stared at him, cheeks red. He brought his hand up to Dipper’s cheek, tilting it up and kissing him. Dipper melted into the kiss, pulling him closer after the shock faded.</p><p> </p><p>    Bill eventually pulled away after a few hot minutes, both of them panting for breath, Dipper whining at the loss of Bill. Bill pulled Dipper closer, holding him tight.</p><p> </p><p>    “I don’t want to leave you ever again, Pinetree.”</p>
<hr/><p>    Dipper opened his eyes, looking up at his lover draped in the soft morning light. He nuzzled into his neck, humming. Bill’s eyes fluttered open, and he looked at Dipper, kissing him on the forehead, on the stars inscribed on his forehead. He kissed his cheek, moving down to his lips. Dipper hummed softly as Bill kissed him, his hands tangling themselves in his hair. He never wanted to leave here.</p><p> </p><p>    Someone knocked on the door. Bill and Dipper’s heads shot to the door.</p><p> </p><p>    “Hey Dipper! It’s Mabel. Are you two decent?” Dipper’s blood rushed to his face, shooting up to at least grab his pants as Bill did the same.</p><p> </p><p>    “Not yet!” Bill shouted at the door. Dipper glanced at Bill, smiling. Mabel cackled at the scrambling inside the room.</p><p> </p><p>     “You ready yet? I’m growing old out here!” Dipper looked up at Bill, making sure his sister wouldn’t see his partner naked. They nodded at each other, agreeing to open the door and spill the beans, but the second it seemed that she would out them they were out.</p><p> </p><p>     “Finally. I swear there’s gray in there now,” she said, gesturing to her hair. “Anyway, I thought you might want to know that I’m not the only one who heard you two last night, and if you want to continue doing…” Her nose wrinkled. “<em>That</em>, then you might want to go to a cabin in the woods for a month or a while, until this blows over. You have a week max before someone spills that isn’t me.” Dipper’s face was full on red now, not helping was Bill, who was kissing his neck. In front of his <em>sister</em>, no less.</p><p> </p><p>    “We can handle it, shooting star. Speaking of which, how’s it going with my cousin?” It was Mabel’s turn to blush.</p><p> </p><p>    “Good. What are you two going to do?”</p><p> </p><p>    “A cabin in the woods, just like you suggested. Paz knows where it is, she can bring you to it when you’re ready,” Bill quietly said. Mabel nodded as if she knew where he was talking about</p><p> </p><p>    “Okay. Do you two need any help packing?”</p><p> </p><p>    “No, I think we’re good. Right, Pinetree?” Bill pecked his cheek.</p><p> </p><p>     “Yeah…”</p>
<hr/><p>     A few days had passed, and the sun was rising over the horizon. Bill and Dipper stood together, watching the sun rise, hand in hand.</p><p> </p><p>    “Ready to go?”</p><p> </p><p>    “Yeah. You?”</p><p> </p><p>    “Always, Pinetree.”</p><p> </p><p>    They stepped into the sunrise. The pair was not heard from by polite society again. But if you walked past the pine trees at the edge of the forest near the small town of Gravity Falls, you could hear them laughing.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>ZOO R PMLDM, ZOO R PMLDM, ORYLQJ BRX FV D ORVLQJ JDQH</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I hope you liked this chapter, I had some serious writer's block in the middle of it. If you did like it, drop a comment? It helps with the motivation to keep writing</p><p>Edit: Just realized I messed up my formatting and changed a small thing that didn't make sense.</p><p>Have a good day/night/evening!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 5, We're in Love</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>We got sexism, kidnapping, violence, and some alcohol<br/>As always, let me know if I need to add anything</p><p>Oh gods above this one took a while to write, so sorry this took longer than previously expected</p><p>Thanks to my friend (The Editor, as they're kinda known as here) for reading through this and writing a solid scene.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>    Bill looked around the tavern, his crew drinking and harassing the waitresses there. His eyes caught on a boy with brown hair pulled back by a sky-blue bandanna and tan skin sitting at a table in the corner. He looked him over again, noticing the toned muscles shifting under his shirt as he moved. His shoulders were tense, glancing around the tavern as if he were ready to bolt at any second. His second, , nudged him, gesturing to the boy in the corner.</p><p> </p><p>    “Go dance with him!”</p><p> </p><p>    “Maybe I will,” he said, standing up and walking over to him. His crew hollered and whistled, but Bill paid them no mind as Tad shushed them.</p><p> </p><p>    “Hey. Care for a dance…” Bill scanned him for some type of identifier. He settled on design resembling a tree on the bandanna he wore. “…Pinetree?”</p><p> </p><p>    “Sure, Captain. Let’s dance.” Bill took his hand, bringing him out to the dance floor. A song started, and him and Pinetree swayed slightly to the first verse or so before a second voice joined in.</p><p> </p><p>    “You set sail alone there is no crew, no one on the deck who can help you, this is all your own battle to win, this is your ship and you are the captain"</p><p> </p><p>    The world around him blended around him, his eye stolen by the beautiful thief in front of him.</p><p> </p><p>    “Oh captain, let’s make a deal, where we both say the things that we both really feel. I feel scared and I’m starting to sink, and I only sink deeper the deeper I think~ Oh captain. Oh captain, deal. Oh, captain deal~”</p><p> </p><p>    Pinetree looked at him through hooded eyes, singing along to the tavern music lowly. Bill felt his heart beat faster, enamored by the siren on land in front of him.</p><p> </p><p>    “There are red spots under your eyes, from when you cry into the sky. Ocean waters rising above your neck, you feel the glass start to crack~”</p><p> </p><p>    Bill sang under his breath. Pinetree stared at him, surprised. Bill watched with a smile as his cheeks flushed red.</p><p> </p><p>    “Sailing on a ship in a bottle, water’s leaking through holes in the bottom flying flags of ships that have long since sat at the floor of the sea, but in defense~”</p><p> </p><p>    Pinetree seemed to catch himself, joining in on the next line, albeit a bit breathless as Bill dipped him.</p><p> </p><p>    “You set sail alone there is no crew, no one on the deck who can help you. This is all your own battle to win. This is your ship, and you are the captain.”</p><p> </p><p>    Bill twirled him, bringing him back to his chest. Their dance had become more passionate than the original swaying that they started with.</p><p> </p><p>    "Oh Captain, let’s make a deal, where we both say the things that we both really feel. I feel scared and I’m starting to sink, and I only sink deeper the deeper I think~”</p><p> </p><p>    Bill dipped him again, and this time Pinetree was prepared for it.</p><p> </p><p>    "Oh Captain, make up your mind, before the salt burns your eyes and you run out of time. ‘Cause you’re popping the cork. You get lost in your brain and you lose touch with all the things that made you feel sane.”</p><p> </p><p>    “Oh Captain. Oh, Captain, deal. Oh, Captain, deal. Oh, Captain, deal~”</p><p> </p><p>    Pinetree crooned, tucking his head in his neck, whispering the words just under his ear, sending shivers down his back. They moved together, swirling and shifting in emotion and adrenaline just a bit longer until the song ended, Pinetree nestled into Bill with red flush on both of their faces. They both panted just a bit, catching their breaths. Bill took up Pinetree’s hand, kissing it.</p><p> </p><p>   “Until we meet again, Pinetree,” he said, letting go of it.</p><p> </p><p>   “Until then, Captain,” Pinetree murmured. They left each other to go to their respective tables, Bill’s crew whistling and shouting, congratulating their captain. Tad slung an arm around Bill’s shoulder, his purple shirt contrasting Bill’s yellow.</p><p> </p><p>    Bill looked over his shoulder at Pinetree who was back in the corner, looking more at ease than he was before.</p><p>    He wondered if he'd see him again</p>
<hr/><p>    Dipper woke up, sighing and getting dressed for work. There was a ship that he was being paid to repair, a merchant ship that had been attacked by pirates, apparently. He didn't quite believe that (the man who had told him what needed to be done was quite odd looking), but he wasn't one to question where the money came from. He just did his job and got paid.</p><p> </p><p>    His thoughts drifted to the man he had danced with last night. He remembered his yellow eye, his tan skin, and his soft hair. He was a good dancer and seemed nice enough. Not like the pirates that Great Uncle Ford had warned him of. Bloodthirsty, cruel people that would stop at nothing to get what they wanted.</p><p> </p><p>    He began his work, talking to the ship’s mate to discuss the materials needed and the cost. His workers were gathered at the gangplank, passing crates along and unloading the ship, gossiping as they did so. He could hear snippets of their conversation. Something of the ships coming into port, and rumors of a pirate crew running rampant in the waters nearby, rumors of a storm coming. He shook it off. They were just rumors anyway.</p>
<hr/><p>    Bill went to the tavern again the next night, looking around for Pinetree. He was sitting at the same table as last time, a loose white shirt accentuating his tan skin and brown eyes. Tad nudged him towards him again, a sparkle in his eyes. Bill rolled his eyes, and obliged. He straightened himself out and walked over to the man from the other night, shrouded in dim light.</p><p> </p><p>    “Care for another dance, Pinetree?” Bill held out a hand. It was hard to tell in the bad lighting, but he was sure a hint of a blush was on the stranger’s cheeks. Pinetree took the hand, dark eyes dancing already. A shanty that the tavern knew by heart started, and the lads bought up a pretty lass to dance with, and the drunken ones attempted to sing along. Soon enough, a dance had started up in the center of the room, and the tables and chairs had been pushed aside to make room. Bill dragged him into the group, laughing into the air at the electric and joyous energy. And Pinetree laughed with him.</p><p> </p><p>    "There once was a ship that put to sea, and the name of the ship was the Billy of Tea. The winds blew up, her bow dipped down. O blow, my bully boys, blow!”</p><p> </p><p>    Bill held Pinetree’s shoulders, swirling around, moving as if just a wave on the sea.</p><p> </p><p>    "Soon may the Wellerman come! To bring us sugar and tea and rum! One day, when the toungin’ is done, we’ll take our leave and go!”</p><p> </p><p>    Pinetree laughed, and Bill had never heard a sound so sweet.</p><p> </p><p>    “She had not been two weeks from shore, when down on her a right whale bore. The captain called all hands and swore he’d take that whale in tow!”</p><p> </p><p>    They became a blur, focused only on each other and their smiles. Time drifted by like a piece of driftwood on the sea, moving in a way that was inexplicable to anyone but them.</p><p> </p><p>    "For forty days, or even more! The line went slack, then tight once more! All boats were lost, there were only four! But still that whale did go.”</p><p> </p><p>    They moved together, Bill spinning Pinetree out and letting go, reaching out his hand as the other did the same as the song quieted.</p><p> </p><p>    "Soon may the Wellerman come! To bring us sugar and tea and rum! One day, when the toungin’ is done, we’ll take our leave and go!”</p><p> </p><p>    They reconnected hands and Bill spun Pinetree back in, moving in tandem as the energy rose again.</p><p> </p><p>    "As far as I’ve heard, the fight’s still on! The line’s not cut, and the whale’s not gone! The Wellerman makes his regular call to encourage the Captain, crew, and all!”</p><p> </p><p>    Fists and drinks rose into the air as the song picked up, voices of Bill’s crew joining in with the drunken locals and crew of other ships.</p><p> </p><p>    "Soon may the Wellerman come! To bring us sugar and tea and rum! One day, when the toungin’ is done, we’ll take our leave and go!”</p><p> </p><p>    Pinetree sang along as well, bringing Bill to his table, feet aching and together in with the last chorus.</p><p> </p><p>    "Soon may the Wellerman come! To bring us sugar and tea and rum! One day, when the toungin’ is done, we’ll take our leave and go!”</p><p> </p><p>    They raised the mugs in their hands with the rest of the tavern. Bill put an arm over Pinetree’s shoulder, and he visibly blushed. Bill took a sip of the rum in his mug, hoping the low light of the tavern hid the pink on his cheeks.</p>
<hr/><p>    Dipper went home, humming songs under his breath. He opened the door to his family’s home to see Mabel, Great Uncle Ford, and Grunkle Stan sitting at the table.</p><p> </p><p>   “Hey, guys… What’s up?” He said awkwardly.</p><p> </p><p>    “Dipper, I’m going to cut right to the chase. Have you heard of Bill Cipher?” Ford looked at him dead in the eye as he asked, as if he was looking into his very soul.</p><p> </p><p>    “I’ve heard of him, sure. Isn’t he that pirate, the one who’s even worse than Blackbeard?”</p><p> </p><p>    “Yes. His ship has been spotted nearby the town, and we’d like to know if any mysterious people have been seen at the dock,” Great Uncle Ford asked.</p><p> </p><p>    “Not that I’ve heard of nor seen. What should I be looking for?” Dipper asked.</p><p> </p><p>    “Tall, tan male, almost yellow eye, eyepatch on the right eye. Blond hair that’s normally drawn back in a knot,” Grunkle Stan said gruffly. “He also normally has a very nice coat and is armed to the teeth. You gonna be okay, kid?” Dipper sucked in a breath. The description sounded so much like the man he had danced with earlier that night. He shook his head, there was no way that that man was the infamous Bill Cipher.</p><p>    “Yeah.”</p><p> </p><p>    A lie, he realized</p><p> </p><p>    Dipper sat down and mustered a shaky smile. “If he does show up, I’m sure the Navy around there all times of the day can handle him.” His family went at ease. “How was work today, Mabel?” His sister immediately perked up, ranting about how it was so stupid that she wasn’t allowed to join the Royal Navy and got stuck with selling the old lady down the street’s knits and work under Grunkle Stan for the rest of her life. And he was content to just listen.</p>
<hr/><p>     Dipper sat at his normal place in the tavern a few weeks later, scanning the crowd over his drink to try and spot the one-eyed man he had danced so much with. His eyes spotted the man in purple that he had seen the Captain talk to before. He was probably here to unwind after a long day. Sailors liked their rum.</p><p> </p><p>     “Good evening.” The man in purple had walked over to his table now, extending a hand for Dipper to shake. “Mind if I join you?”</p><p> </p><p>    “Table’s open. What brings you here today, gentleman sailor?” The words flowed from his lips like water. The gentleman sailor sat down, a mug of rum in his hand. He scoffed, taking a sip.</p><p> </p><p>    “Gentleman sailor? Where’d that nickname come from?”</p><p> </p><p>    “You’re a member of the Captain’s crew, correct? And you seem to be the more gentlemanly of your crew, based on what your captain has told me.”</p><p> </p><p>    “Ah, so you’re close with the Captain?”</p><p> </p><p>    “Was it that obvious?” Dipper chuckled and took a sip of his drink. He gazed out at the tavern thoughtfully. “Where is the Captain, anyways?” The gentleman sailor looked out with him, his faced contorted in something between anxiety and worry.</p><p> </p><p>    "He's... working on something. The gentleman sailor took a long drink, and Dipper raised his mug slightly and drank his own.</p>
<hr/><p>    Bill stumbled in the alley, holding his probably bruising cheek. He looked at his client, a small man in a pompous blue outfit. He was surprised that the little jerk could throw an even vaguely good punch.</p><p> </p><p>    "Listen. It's not my fault the navy is everywhere. Government is government, and if you want to kidnap the niece of a fairly prestigious merchant, you're going to have to be a bit patient. I do have other clients, so if you are going to put me and my crew at risk, then you might not get what you want for a very long time.” Bill glared down at the man, standing up straight and dusting himself off, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth.</p><p> </p><p>    "I want Mabel Pines to be mine now! I've done my waiting, and I want my end of the bargain! If not..." Gideon Gleeful, the renowned travelling merchant, pulled out a gun, cocked it, and pointing it at Bill's head, said "I'm going to have to tie up some loose ends." Bill held up his hands, trying to give off a non-threatening vibe.</p><p> </p><p>   “Hey, no need to get trigger-happy here. Just put down the gun and we can work out another deal. There’s no need to shoot, Gleeful.” Gideon huffed and put away the gun. Bill noted how it was still cocked and chuckled internally to himself. He was going to shoot his own foot eventually.</p><p> </p><p>   “Okay then, Captain. Let’s negotiate.” Gleeful leaned on the damp, dirty alley wall, smirking like he had won something. Bill didn’t see what he had won. After all, he was talking to the Pirate Captain Bill Cipher, Terror of the Seas, and who some even called a demon on Earth. If Gideon thought he was getting the better end out of a deal with someone who had tricked, manipulated, and traumatized several hundred, he was gravely misinformed.</p><p> </p><p>    “Yes. Let’s,” Bill said as he held his eye, letting the light of the streets behind him and moon above him light his eye, giving it a glint that was not quite human or sane. Gideon shivered.</p>
<hr/><p>    Dipper was wide awake when the screaming started. One of the perks of being an insomniac, though his work normally makes him sleep fitfully, but sleep, nonetheless. He was out of bed, running out of his bedroom and down the hall, throwing on a shirt jacket as he went.</p><p> </p><p>    Grunkle Stan was already awake, standing vigilant at the window watching, and Grunkle Ford was down the hall just past him at the main door.</p><p> </p><p>    “Pirates?” Dipper asked.</p><p> </p><p>    Grunkle Stan only nodded.</p><p> </p><p>    “The Navy?”</p><p> </p><p>    “Nothing yet. I think they’re all drunk, considering it’s a Saturday night.”</p><p> </p><p>    They whipped their heads as a crash sounded down the hall.</p><p> </p><p>    “Mabel!” Dipper ran towards Mabel’s room, and left Stan and Ford in the hallway, holding their breaths. After a few minutes of crashing, shouting and then a loud thump, it was quiet. Stan pulled the from his robe and creeped down the hallway to the closed door. Ford followed close behind, a sword in hand. Stan opened the door, pointing his pistol in the room.</p><p> </p><p>    There was a body on the floor.</p><p> </p><p>    It wasn’t Dipper’s.</p><p> </p><p>    It was Mabel’s.</p><p> </p><p>    A small piece of paper fluttered through the air, a wide open eye with a slit pupil on it.</p><p> </p><p>    Stanford swore under his breath.</p>
<hr/><p>    Pyronica turned the corner, a plate of food and a mug of ale in hand, towards the door and room holding the merchant’s son. She took out the key, balancing the plate and mug with one hand and rifling through her pockets with another. She held up the key victoriously, unlocking and opening the door.</p><p> </p><p>    “Rise and shine, Pinetree!” He startled on the bed, bolting upright and looking at Pyronica with wild eyes. He started sputtering, like a fish out of water.</p><p> </p><p>    “Where am I?”</p><p> </p><p>    “You’re aboard <em>The Mindscape</em>. The captain brought you on board during a raid on accident. He’s sorry.”</p><p> </p><p>    “Who’s the captain?” Dipper asked. Pyronica pursed her lips at this.</p><p> </p><p>    “I’m… Not allowed to tell you that,” Pyronica said at last. Pinetree deflated at that. “But I can tell you that he’s sorry about you being on the ship and would like to meet you when you woke up.”</p><p> </p><p>    “Can I stay here for a while? I don’t think I’m ready to face him just yet.”</p><p> </p><p>    “Sure. Do you want me to stay, or should I leave?”</p><p> </p><p>    “Not yet,” he said, and she nodded. She understood what he was probably going through. A new environment where he knew nobody is tough to deal with. “So, what’s your name?” he now asked.</p><p> </p><p>    She replied, “I’m Pyronica. Yours?” Pinetree looked reluctant to share his name. “I promise it won’t go out of this room,” she added, to make him more comfortable.</p><p> </p><p>    “Okay.” He took a deep breath. “I go by Dipper.” She nodded and smiled at him.</p><p> </p><p>    “Nice to meet you, Dipper.” It was his turn to smile.</p><p> </p><p>    They talked for a few hours before Pyronica noted the time, swore, and stood up.</p><p> </p><p>     “I’m so sorry, Dipper. I gotta go and make sure that one of the Eyes didn’t mess up our course again. Continue this conversation later?”</p><p> </p><p>    “Yeah, go right ahead. Later!” Dipper waved as she rushed out the door and out of sight.</p><p> </p><p>    Up the many decks she climbed until she finally reached the top level. Once there, she made her way to the stern of the ship, towards the helm. To the man who was currently at it. The captain.</p><p> </p><p>    "Pyronica! How is Pinetree? Learn anything of interest?" The man's voice shouted. Pyronica looked up at her captain, walking up to the helm.</p><p> </p><p>    "Wouldn't you like to know, Weather Boy," She replied.</p><p> </p><p>    Bill's eyes flashed a dangerous but playful yellow. Pyronica rolled her eyes and took the helm.</p>
<hr/><p>    Dipper looked around the room after Pyronica left. It was on the smaller side, with a small bed along the wall and a tiny desk and chair stuffed in the corner. There were candles put in bowls on the desk, lighting the room with a soft glow. He walked over to the desk, looking through the drawers for something to fill his time. He found some ink, a quill, and some parchment. He grinned and sat down, filling the parchment with writing and drawings.</p><p> </p><p>    Time passed like a light blown out, darkness setting in quick. Soon enough, the sky was awash with color as the sun set beyond the horizon, the choppy sea reflecting the color.  There was a knock at his door, to which Dipper’s head shot up in surprise. He stuttered a quick come in, and the door opened. And the captain walked in.</p><p> </p><p>    He was a strong man, a well-made coat embroidered with gold thread draped over his shoulder, a feathered hat sitting atop his golden hair. He had tan skin and one yellow and one black eye with a hint of mischief in them. A smirk was ever present on his face. He seemed so similar to the man at the tavern, almost as if they were the same person. Dipper shook off the thought. There was no way that the captain and this man were the same person. For one thing, the man at the tavern had only one eye.</p><p> </p><p>    “Good evening. I believe we haven’t formally met. Captain Bill Cipher. It’s a pleasure to meet you,” he said, bowing before Dipper.</p><p> </p><p>    “It’s good to meet you too, Captain. Care to tell me what you intend on doing with me?” Dipper knew it was probably not a good idea to be sassy with a pirate captain, but at this point, Dipper really didn’t care. Captain Cipher was not known to take prisoners and keep them alive unless it was for a bounty. He was most likely going to die soon anyways.</p><p> </p><p>    “Haven’t decided yet.” Bill’s hand drifted towards his sword and Dipper stiffened. “Now, I didn’t quite catch your name.”</p><p> </p><p>    “I didn’t throw it.” To Dipper’s relief, the Captain laughed.</p><p> </p><p>    “You! I like you! I just might keep you around for a bit longer. Say, know anything about ships, kid?” Dipper smiled.</p>
<hr/><p>    In the next few days, Dipper worked on the ship, repairing random leaks and the occasional sail. He made friends with the crew, under the watch of the captain. He spent his nights sleeping in the cabin he was in originally because, as the captain put it, he was “still technically a prisoner, and prisoners don’t sleep with the crew.” He had the feeling that that wasn’t actually the reason, but a bed sure beat a hammock with a bunch of stinky, sweaty men, so he didn’t say anything and accepted it. And all the while, the captain would see him to his cabin, and every night before he would close the door, he would say "Goodnight, Pinetree. Good work. Sleep well. I'll most likely kill you in the morning." But he never did. He assumed it must be a joke of some kind, maybe to get him to stay in submission. But he didn't mind. He rather liked it now when the captain said this</p><p> </p><p>    He was mending one of the sails when the captain walked up to him. He looked out at the horizon. Dipper looked up at him questioningly. Bill looked down at him and smiled slightly.</p><p> </p><p>    “There’s a storm coming,” he said.</p><p> </p><p>    “Should I do anything about it, Captain?”</p><p> </p><p>    “I want you to sleep in my cabin tonight. Nothing in the one you've been in is tied down, and I don’t want you getting hurt on my ship.” Dipper’s mouth went dry. The captain was, admittedly, very attractive.</p><p> </p><p>    “Yes, Captain.” Even his throat felt dry as he said the words.</p><p> </p><p>    The captain walked away very quickly. Dipper watched his retreating back, confused.</p>
<hr/><p>   Bill ran his hand through his hair, setting his hat on his desk. He sat down on his bed, setting his head in his hands.</p><p> </p><p>    Pinetree was going to be the death of him.</p><p> </p><p>    He was adorable when he was doing anything. He had a cute look when he was focusing on a task, scrunching up his face in his concentration. When he laughed, his face would turn red, and he would cover his mouth with his hands. He was so cute in whatever he did, and Bill didn’t know how he would last two more weeks with him aboard.</p><p> </p><p>    Bill had had past lovers, most of them only lasting a few months. He always set them up on an island somewhere with enough money and other necessities for the rest of their lives, and sail away, off on another adventure. He was known to be kind to his lovers.</p><p> </p><p>    Bill sucked in a breath. He loved Pinetree. He’d make this work.</p><p> </p><p>    It’d be different this time, he could feel it.</p>
<hr/><p>    Night fell quickly, and soon Dipper had to go to bed. Bill waited for him by the mess hall, taking his arm and leading him to his cabin. It was well lit, with candles on every surface that wasn’t flammable or had something flammable above it. There were lanterns hanging from the ceiling as well, giving the cabin a comfortable vibe. Just in front of the large windows at the back was a desk, books scattered across it. The walls went floor to ceiling with bookshelves, and in a corner was a wardrobe, and just beyond it was, most likely, a bed. Dipper couldn’t quite see it, but he was sure it was there somewhere. Bill stepped further into the room and offered a hand. Tentatively, Dipper took it, and Bill pulled him in close to his chest.</p><p> </p><p>    “What do you think?” He softly said, letting Dipper take in the room.</p><p> </p><p>    “It’s… Great,” Dipper said, breathlessly. His cheeks were flushed red, and Bill couldn’t help but smile at his Pinetree.</p><p> </p><p>    “Bed’s over there, if you need anything, just let me know. I’ll be at my desk.” Bill pointed over to his bed, and then walked over to his desk, laid out a few maps and pretended to study them, but he was really watching Pinetree. He stood in the middle of the room for a while, before going over to the books on the wall. Bill chuckled at his nature. So Pinetree liked to read? He could use that.</p><p> </p><p>    “Do you have any books on stars?” Pinetree asked him from across the room. Bill’s head shot up.</p><p> </p><p>    “Yes, they’re over by the window on the left, top shelf.” Bill was glad that he had put the star books up there when he was organizing his room now. Pinetree reached up to gather a book that he couldn’t quite reach. Bill chuckled and walked over behind Pinetree, grabbing the book he was reaching for and bringing it down, his back flush with Bill. He could feel him go stiff and saw some red tinge Pinetree’s ears. He leaned slightly forward and brought his mouth to Pinetree’s ear.</p><p> </p><p>    “Is this the one you wanted?” He whispered. The red grew like a tomato on his cheeks, and Bill could feel some blood rush to his own cheeks.</p><p> </p><p>    “Y- Yeah. Thanks,” Dipper looked up at him, smiling sweetly. Bill’s heart stuttered for a second.</p><p> </p><p>    “No problem. Let me know if you need anything else.”</p><p> </p><p>    “I think I’ll be fine, but thank you,” Pinetree smiled again, extracting himself from between the bookshelf and Bill. He walked towards the bed area, and Bill went back to his desk. At one point, Pyronica came in to help him with something, but then left. Bill went to bed soon after she left, seeing Pinetree already asleep. He smiled, kissing his sapling’s forehead. His hair was askew, and on his forehead was a mark of some kind. Bill brushed away his hair, concerned that it was a scar of some sort. He breathed a sigh of relief and awe when he saw it was a birthmark.</p><p> </p><p>    Ursa Major inscribed on his forehead.</p><p> </p><p>    Pinetree sure was special.</p><p> </p><p>    Bill took of his shoes, slipping under the covers. Pinetree immediately latched on to him. Bill ruffled his hair, wrapped his arms around his sapling, and fell asleep.</p>
<hr/><p>    Dipper woke up very warm. He was also very comfortable. The blankets around him shifted, and the arms around his waist tightened slightly. Dipper’s eyes widened in realization and he began to try to get out. The arms tightened even further, and someone groaned behind him.</p><p> </p><p>    “Pinetree, stop moving. Go back to sleep,” Bill grumbled from behind him. Dipper shifted some more.</p><p> </p><p>    “Sorry.”</p><p> </p><p>    “S’alright sapling,” Bill slurred his words.</p><p> </p><p>    “Why are you doing this?” Bill nuzzled Dipper’s neck, and Dipper lifted his head to let him. “Bill?”</p><p> </p><p>    “Because I like you, Pinetree. You’re interesting, and cute, and I want to get to know you more. Now go back to sleep,” Bill’s words were slurred, and he yawned, curling into Dipper, whose face was beet red. Soon enough, Dipper heard Bill snoring softly from behind him, and he smiled softly. He soon drifted into a dreamless sleep.</p>
<hr/><p>    Bill’s eyes fluttered open to the sun shining through the windows. He sat up, careful not to wake up Pinetree. He started getting dressed, careful to be quiet, when he heard mumbling behind him. He froze for a second until everything went quiet, and then continued getting dressed. He was getting out a shirt when he heard Pinetree get up. He looked over to Pinetree, who was, once again, beet red. Bill walked over to him, and held up his chin and held his waist.</p><p> </p><p>    “Like what you see, Pinetree?” , watching Pinetree stutter for words.</p><p> </p><p>     “I- I uh… I gotta get dressed!” Bill chuckled as Pinetree somehow got even more red. He was so embarrassed that he nearly fell flat on his face as he crawled out of the bed. Bill, and swiftly walked over to the bedside.</p><p> </p><p>    Then he reached out a hand for Bill to grab. He took it, and pulled him to his feet again. Bill took a moment to brush him off, as if he’d fallen in dirt. Then he looked Pinetree over briefly. At last, he said, “There. All better. You hurt?” There was no laughter in his voice now, only genuine sincerity. His head, very slowly and smoothly, moved to his left side, still keeping his eyes on Bill’s. After a second, he looked down at his side, back again, and turned his face full front.</p><p> </p><p>    "I think I fell on my hip," He simply said</p><p>    Bill had donned a sweet face until now, and he still had it as he said, “Let me check it.” He then proceeded to bend down on one knee, and lifted up his shirt.</p><p> </p><p>    Bill couldn’t help but admire the slightly defined yet ever-present abs that his Pinetree had. He hadn’t taken notice of them until now. Then his eyes moved to his pelvis, taking care to examine it as thoroughly and as discreetly as possible. His face remain stone blank as he did, but his eyes revealed more. From shock, to embarrassment, to hawk focus, they displayed it all for Bill to see. After what might have been a solid minute, the captain finally said, “Well, it looks okay. You might get a bruise, though.” He looked at Pinetree as he said this, and when he was done, he dropped his shirt and let it fall back down. Then he stood back up and fixed himself.</p><p> </p><p>    Then they just stood there for a moment and stared at one another. No one spoke, the only sounds were their breathing and the faint crashing of the waves against the ship. Unmoving, unchanging, they were unending.</p><p> </p><p>    Unending…</p><p> </p><p>    From the beginning…</p><p> </p><p>    They both snapped back into reality. Both abruptly and suddenly. Pinetree started off stuttering, but no intelligible words came. Then, he turned and bolted for the door, nearly running into everything between him and the exit.</p><p>    Bill smiled. He was sure of it. There was no better match for him in the world. And there was no better match them then in the universe.</p>
<hr/><p>    Time passed like a piece of driftwood on a rift rapidly and without much warning. Soon enough, the two weeks to port were up, and Bill was waving goodbye to Pinetree.</p><p>    Bill’s crew lowered the gangplank, and Pinetree stalled a bit further. He looked up at Bill, , and then offered a hand to him. Bill stood at the other end, unsure of what he should do. Tad, by his side as always, nudged him.</p><p>    “Go with him.”</p><p>    And he did.</p><p>    He took Pinetree’s hand and went off into the town.</p>
<hr/><p>    Dipper was still holding Bill’s hand when they reached the tavern. He didn’t know why, but his hand felt right in Bill’s.</p><p> </p><p>    “Hey, Bill?”</p><p> </p><p>    “Yeah, Pinetree?”</p><p> </p><p>    And then Dipper kissed him.</p><p> </p><p>    Bill’s eyes widened in shock, and then he began to kiss back. Dipper began moving back as Bill’s hands on his shoulder’s pushed him towards the wall behind them. Bill pinned Dipper to the wall, moving together as one. Bill pulled back eventually, gasping for air.</p><p> </p><p>    Bill looked into Dipper’s eyes, hooded and full of love. Bill rested his forehead on Dipper’s, on the mark of the stars.</p><p> </p><p>    “Stay with me, Pinetree. Please. You could live with us, and when we get to port, you could visit your family whenever you want. You could be with me! Please?” Bill looked at Dipper, a plea in his eyes. He grabbed his hands, holding them close. Dipper turned his head, looking away before looking back at Bill, visibly melancholy.</p><p> </p><p>    “Bill, I can’t.” Bill’s face fell. “I have a job already, and my family… wouldn’t enjoy me being away so often. Believe me, I would love to be with you. But I can’t. We could be together on land, though. Send letters, go on dates. We could do that. I just can’t go with you.” Dipper looked up at Bill, his expression sad but hopeful. Bill looked at him, and understood.</p><p> </p><p>    “Okay, Pinetree. On land, then.” Bill kissed his forehead again, and Dipper giggled.</p><p> </p><p>    “Dipper.”</p><p> </p><p>    “What?”</p><p> </p><p>    “My name,” Dipper said, flustered. “Well, technically, it’s Mason, but everyone calls me Dipper.” He looked up at Bill, smiling softly.</p><p> </p><p>    “Okay then, Dipper.” Bill kissed him again. Dipper melted into the kiss, smiling.</p>
<hr/><p>    Bill waved goodbye to his Pine needle, and watched as he disappeared into the crowds. His smile dropped, and he turned to his ship, ignoring Pyronica and Tad as they waited, concerned. Pyronica reached out a hand as if to comfort him, but Tad put a hand on her shoulder, and they walked away as Bill went quickly to his room.</p><p> </p><p>    Bill looked at his room, suddenly foreign and unknown. He sat down, looking at the books scattered, the ones that Dipper had taken out over the week. He felt so vacant, so shattered. As if a piece of him was torn out of him. As if a piece of him was missing.</p><p> </p><p>    It had been so amazing these past few weeks, spending actual time with his Pinetree, his stardust. His everything.</p><p> </p><p>    His soulmate.</p><p> </p><p>    The one meant for him, the one he was meant for.</p><p> </p><p>    Bill doubled over, his head pounding. Images of a cabin in the woods, pale skin, a skyline of beautiful colors over white marble, pieces of papyrus. Words of a song he had never learned, writing of a language he did not know. He did not know these memories, these thoughts. They felt foreign, not right in his head, not his own. <em>But who's else would they be?</em></p>
<hr/><p>    Dipper rushed through the town, shouting apologies over his shoulder when he managed to jostle someone, though he avoided it. He was <em>home</em>, finally home. He opened the door to his home, his home, to his <em>family</em>. Grunkle Stan looked up at him, his eyes widening and filling with tears as he realized just who had bust down his door.</p><p>    “Dipper!” Grunkle Stan rushed up to him, hugging him and holding him close. Mabel and Grunkle Ford joined the hug, and they embraced their lost family member.</p><p>    Dipper smiled.</p><p>    He was home.</p>
<hr/><p>    Bill’s headache persisted through the rest of the day, so he decided to stay in bed. Thoughts kept pressing at his head, thoughts of a fire, of sitting with someone on a roof dangling their feet over the edge, of a library with bookshelves to the ceiling, and of a cold floor and cold iron.</p><p> </p><p>    He laid curled up on his bed, his heart aching and his head pounding.</p><p> </p><p>    He wondered if he’d ever feel full again.</p><p> </p><p>    He missed his soulmate.</p>
<hr/><p>    Dipper sat at his usual table in the tavern, waiting. He checked the time, and then again. He could see Tad, Pyronica and Hex at another table, but he couldn’t see Bill.</p><p> </p><p>    Dipper sighed and stood up. He walked out of the tavern and started going home. His ears were ringing, and his chest ached. He went to bed.</p><p> </p><p>    He couldn’t sleep. No matter how hard he tried. He was missing something. Dipper huffed and laid there for the rest of the night until the birds began singing, and got up and got dressed for work.</p>
<hr/><p>    Bill’s headache dimmed to a subtle throb, so he got up, and went to eat. He grumbled a quiet thanks to Hex as he took his food, sat down with Tad and Pyronica, who put a gentle hand on his shoulder. He ate his food Drank his ale, and listened as his crew talked amongst themselves. The memories were still coming, but not as intense as before. Just a gentle patter of rain instead of the thundering of a storm.</p><p> </p><p>    After breakfast, he ordered his crew to get to work and set about getting the food and supplies they needed to get to the next port.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>    Banging on a wall. Laughing with a brown-haired boy. Smiling as he talked about the books that he had read recently. Screaming for him to stay with him, you’ll be alright, I swear just a little bit longer, stay alive for me Pinetree please-</em>
</p><p> </p><p>    “Sir? Sir are you alright?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>    Dipper, I need you. Please, stay with me. Please, Pinetree.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>    “Sir?”</p><p> </p><p><em>    Don’t say that, Dipper! Please, stay with me? Think about all the things we haven’t done! We still haven’t gotten our oblivious family members together.</em> <em>We still haven’t read that story together, y’know, the one you love. So please, </em><em>Pinetree, Dipper, stay with me a little bit longer. Please. I love you, Dipper. Please, stay with me, love.</em></p><p> </p><p>    “Just fine. When can you get these delivered?” There was a tightness in his chest that wasn’t there before. There was a roaring in his ears. Bill swallowed it down and went about his day.</p>
<hr/><p>    Bill sat in the tavern, waiting for Pyronica and Tad to get back from meeting with clients and gathering supplies. He sat in the corner of the room, watching the other patrons mill about and the waitresses get harassed. He occasionally glared men who were getting too handsy a deathly glare, his hand resting on his pistol. They stopped quickly when they noticed, and the ladies gave him grateful looks. He nodded and went back to his drink.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>   “Wait! Don’t jump!”</em>
</p><p> </p><p><em>   “It’s alright if you don’t want to talk.</em> <em> I understand,” He smiled softly. He looked at him and felt the blood rush to his cheeks. He was undeniably cute.</em></p><p> </p><p>
  <em>   “Can you just… Hold me?”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>   “Hey, Bill.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>   The smell of pine trees and soft leather.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>   “I’m sorry, love."</em>
</p><p> </p><p>    “Bill? Hey, are you alright, Captain?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>    “Who said I was going to jump?”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>    “Good. I don’t want to lose you.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>    He knew those eyes.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>    He was the most stunning man he had seen in all his lives.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>    “Captain?”</p><p> </p><p>    “Pinetree?” Bill looked up at Dipper, his eye wandering over his face.</p><p> </p><p>    “Oh, thank goodness, I thought that you had gone catatonic.” His face was awash with relief, and he was beautiful. His soulmate. “Anyway, what are you doing here?”</p><p> </p><p>    “Waiting for Pyronica and Tad. You?”</p><p> </p><p>    “On break and this was the closest place.” Bill stared at his Pinetree, his face soft and love bursting from his eyes. “Are you okay?”</p><p> </p><p>    “You’re beautiful.” Dipper went red.</p><p> </p><p>    “Shut up!” Dipper playfully punched him in the arm, smiling and red-faced. “You are too.” He mumbled and leaned on Bill’s shoulder. Bill laughed and kissed his forehead. And his soulmate laughed with him.</p>
<hr/><p>    His head was full of color, reds and blues, greens and magentas. It was a whorl and twist of so many vibrant colors. Out of them came little flashes, a forest of deep greens and teals, rays of sunlight hitting bare skin in oranges and yellows, ochre and lemons. Deep browns of bookshelves and the dark red of the books themselves, lined in gold and silver. Greys of stone and the steel gray of iron.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>   “I think I love you too.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>    Words rang through his head, his own but not.</p><p> </p><p>    Gods he loved him</p><p> </p><p>    His Pinetree, his love, his soulmate. His starburst, his moonlight.</p><p> </p><p>    Bill loved him.</p><p> </p><p>    His soulmate.</p><p> </p><p>    His Pinetree.</p>
<hr/><p>    Bill stood at the helm a few days later. The ship was restocked, his heart was full, and they were setting sail.</p><p> </p><p>    “Captain! Everything is ready to depart! Shall we set sail?” Bill looking out at the sea at the bow.</p><p> </p><p>    “Set sail. Have Pyronica set a course for Port Royal!”</p><p> </p><p>    “Aye sir!”</p><p> </p><p>    He’ll see his Pinetree again soon</p>
<hr/><p><em>    The Mindscape</em> limped into Tortuga a few weeks later, a few holes in her hull and with injuries all around. Dipper watched as the crew disembarked, looking for Bill. Fewer and fewer people left the ship and his heart sunk deeper and deeper. Until, at last, Pyronica was helping Tad off the ship. There was no one else onboard.</p><p> </p><p>    Tad gestured for Dipper to walk with them.</p><p> </p><p>    There was a ringing in his ears as he walked next to the man in purple.</p><p> </p><p>    Tad explained it to him over a cup of tea at his home.</p><p> </p><p>    Bill was dead. Killed in an attack by the navy.</p><p> </p><p>    “He wanted you to have this.” Tad handed him a small package. Dipper opened it numbly. A letter and his compass fell out</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Dear Pinetree,</em>
</p><p>
  <em>So, I guess the worst has happened if you’re reading this.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I died at sea, most likely in an attack on something.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>What do I even write?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I love you so much, Pinetree. I want you to know that. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>I’ll wait for you wherever souls go after they die. Join me after you’ve lived, Pinetree. I’ll wait for you there. No matter what.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I love you so much, Dipper.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>With love, your soulmate, </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Bill Cipher</em>
</p><p> </p><p>Dipper couldn't keep the tears from his eyes.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>JV EBXOQ FP YROFBA FK SBKFZB, SRWWVM YVMVZGS ZOO NB DLIIRVH ZMW WLFYGH</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Nobody was prepared for this chapter, certainly not me.</p><p>Drop some love, scream about these dense idiots, or do whatever in the comments? Comments give incredible amounts of motivation</p><p>The Editor wrote the one bit in the morning in Bill's cabin. About Dip falling? Yeah that was them.</p><p>Anyone wanna play spot the references?</p><p>Sorry this one took longer than previously expected, it got way longer than I thought it would <br/>(The chapters may be getting longer and take longer, and for that I am sorry)</p><p>Have a good day/night/evening!!!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 6, In These Coming Years</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Oh boy, American revolution. Enjoy some childhood friends and Bill having some common sense. As a treat. </p><p>The song Arms Tonite by Mother Mother is related to this chapter. Do with that as you will.</p><p>Thanks to my editor friend for beta reading, being awesome, and editing this thing. You're awesome, man.</p><p>Hope you enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><em>    We’ll meet again,</em> <em> don’t know where</em></p><p> </p><p>    “William? This is Mason. You guys are going to play together now, alright?” Dipper held onto his mother’s skirt, looking timidly at the blonde in front of him. “Go on, honey, it’s alright.” Dipper’s mother pushed him forward, and soon William and Dipper were in the middle of the room together.</p><p> </p><p>    “Do you have marbles?”</p><p> </p><p>    “William! Don’t be rude!”</p><p> </p><p>    “Mason, darling, bring William to the playroom?” The way his mother said it made it not a question, but a command. Dipper bowed his head and brought the other kid to the playroom.</p><p> </p><p>     “Wow” William’s voice was full of awe, “You have all the marbles” Dipper snickered, and held out a hand for him to shake.</p><p> </p><p>    “"m Dipper. I hate my name, so call me Dipper or Tyrone.”</p><p> </p><p>    “Bill. Wanna get beat at marbles?”</p><p> </p><p>    “You wish.”</p><p> </p><p>    Dipper lost the first game of marbles. And the one after that. But he won the next few, much to Bill’s annoyance.</p>
<hr/><p>    <em>Don’t know when! But I know we’ll meet again some sunny day</em></p><p> </p><p>    The two fourteen-year-olds stood next to each other in front of the rack of training swords. As a part of both of their education, they had to learn how to fence.</p><p> </p><p>    “You ready to lose?” Dipper chuckled, the both of them grabbing a sword.</p><p> </p><p>    “You wish.” Bill moved forward quickly, almost catching Dipper off guard with a thrust, but he managed to raise his sword quick enough to parry.</p><p> </p><p>    “That’s not fair, I wasn’t ready!” Dipper jumped back quickly as Bill lunged forward, bringing his sword across his chest, parrying.</p><p> </p><p>    “All’s fair in love and war, Pinetree!” Bill parried Dipper’s own lunge easily. Dipper blew a strand of hair out of his face, and managed to catch Bill with a riposte from the left that he wasn’t expecting. Bill went down quickly, and Dipper put his sword at his throat and a foot on his chest the second he was down. Bill’s face was blood red, which Dipper chalked up to the physical stuff they had just did.</p><p> </p><p>    “And it appears that I have won.” Bill’s breathing was quick, and Dipper smirked down at him, tilting up his chin with the tip of his blade.</p><p> </p><p>    “Yeah, it appears you have sapling. In more than just one way.” Bill smirked up at Dipper with his arms over his head, and suddenly Dipper was painfully aware of everything. He turned bright red and turned away. Bill laughed, and stood up again, holding his sword at the ready position.</p><p> </p><p>    "On gaurde."</p>
<hr/><p>    <em>Keep smiling through, just like you always do</em></p><p> </p><p>    “Hey, Bill. What’s up?” Bill turned from the balcony, looking to see Dipper. His breath caught in his throat. He’d grown a lot from the 6-year-old that he had first met. His clothes, for once, were not just the plain browns and whites that he normally wore, and were actually nice for once. A deep blue vest over a clean white shirt, his hair clean and combed. He looked good. That might just be for the party though.</p><p> </p><p>     “Bill?” Bill snapped out of his thoughts to see Pinetree with his hand on his shoulder, concerned. “Are you alright?”</p><p> </p><p>    “Just fine, Pine needle.” He looked back at the night sky, awash in the light of the stars and the candlelight behind him. He hoped the warmth that washed over his cheeks wasn’t visible. He felt a presence beside him, and saw his sapling leaning over the balcony next to him.</p><p> </p><p>    “The stars are beautiful tonight.” Dipper said, looking out. The bright and burning stars in the sky above them didn’t even hold a candle to the galaxy in Dipper’s eyes.</p><p> </p><p>   “So are you.” Dipper turned to him abruptly, shocked.</p><p> </p><p>    “What?”</p><p> </p><p>    “You’re beautiful, even as- no more beautiful than the stars above your head.” Bill faced Dipper, looking into his eyes, his own full of love. “The galaxy in your eyes is the most beautiful thing that I have seen.” His eyes drifted towards Dipper’s lips, his wonderful Pinetree. He put a hand on his cheek, leaning in close and kissing his cheek. Dipper’s eyes went wide, and he looked at Bill flustered. His eyes drooped as he leaned in. Bill could feel his breath on his skin, slightly uneven and hot.</p><p> </p><p>    “You really think that?” Dipper was closer now, and staring at his lips, but Bill didn’t notice.</p><p> </p><p>    “Yeah, I do.” And just like that, he kissed Dipper Pines.</p>
<hr/><p>    <em>‘til the blue skies drive the dark clouds far away</em></p><p> </p><p>    It was thrilling, the rush of energy when he pushed Dipper against a wall and kissed him senseless, and then leaving him the second footsteps were heard, leaving him dazed and smiling. The way he got Dipper to arch against the mouth on his neck, leaving him panting and groaning for more, his neck a myriad of color. The way he could make Dipper smile when he said something stupid, a smile just for him when he woke up to kisses and cuddles in the morning.</p><p> </p><p>    “William! Are you even listening?” Bill startled out of his thoughts to see his teacher snapping in his face. “Honestly! I do not envy the next tutor you’ll have after you move!”</p><p> </p><p>    His heart stopped. In fact, everything seemed to stop, like everything else stopped mattering the second those words were said.</p><p> </p><p>    “After I what?” His words were quiet. It didn’t matter, really. Nothing could stop the drop of his heart in his chest, the shock that took hold of his brain.</p><p> </p><p>    “After you move! Did your parents not tell you?” His teacher sighed. “Your mother is not feeling well. The doctors recommend you move to the seaside for the time being. “ And just like that, his world caved in.</p>
<hr/><p>    <em>So, will you please say hello</em></p><p> </p><p>"We will meet again, Pinetree. Someday. We'll meet again, love." Bill held his love's hands, ignoring the tears in his eyes.</p><p> </p><p>    "Someday." He agreed.</p><p> </p><p>    Bill watched as the Pines family house faded into the distance, and he prepared himself for the long ride to the coast.</p>
<hr/><p>    <em>To the folks that I know</em></p><p> </p><p>    “Welcome to the continental army, gentlemen! These are the people you will be fighting with for until the fool of a king decides to give us our freedom! Feel free to mingle and get to know each other! You’ll be spending a lot of time together for the next while!” Bill looked around the room, his hands behind his back.</p><p> </p><p>    They met eyes. Bill stared at the grown man that he once knew, the one he had loved for such a long time.</p><p> </p><p>    “Pinetree…” There were tears in his eyes, and he could see his Pinetree was close to tears as well.</p><p> </p><p>    “Bill? Is… Is that really you?” Dipper put a hand on his cheek, and he leaned into it, let his lover hold him, if even for a little while.</p><p> </p><p>    “Yeah, it really is me, sapling! Gods, I haven’t seen you in so long! How’s your family?” Dipper laughed, and Bill’s heart soared. “What’re you doing here?” his voice took on a darker tone</p><p> </p><p>    “I joined the Continental army, Bill. Ford and Stan are way too old, and Mabel can’t fight. So, I did.” He shrugged.</p><p> </p><p>    “But you could get hurt! Or killed! Dipper-“ Bill stared into the other’s brown eyes, worry evident in his own amber eyes. “I don’t want you hurt.” Dipper brushed the hand on his shoulder off, holding it a bit longer.</p><p> </p><p>    “Bill, I’ll be fine, I promise. But if it’s such a concern for you, I could write to you. Then you’ll know, at least” Pinetree half smiled, and Bill felt a breath that he didn’t realize he was holding release, but only a bit.</p><p> </p><p>    “Alright.” Bill sighed. “I don’t love it, but I can survive.” Dipper smiled and held his hand.</p><p> </p><p>    "Then that's all I need." Dipper kissed his cheek, and he smiled warily.</p>
<hr/><p>    <em>Tell them I won't be long</em></p><p> </p><p>    Bill woke up to a familiar sight; his lover draped in sunlight. He kissed his forehead, content to stay there just a bit longer.</p><p> </p><p>    In the morning, they’d be apart again, Bill off to spy for Washington, and Dipper off to fight.</p><p> </p><p>    In the morning, they’d not be able to see each other until the war was over.</p><p> </p><p>    In the morning.</p><p> </p><p>    But that was not here yet. Bill held his sapling just a bit closer and drifted into thought.</p><p> </p><p>    Dipper stirred on his shoulder, groaning softly.</p><p> </p><p>    Bill stilled.</p><p> </p><p>    “Bill?” Dipper looked up at him in a daze, sleep still in his eyes.</p><p> </p><p>    “Hey, hey, Pinetree.” He cooed, running his fingers through his hair, smiling as Dipper leaned into the touch. “Shouldn’t you be asleep still?”</p><p> </p><p>    “Mmmh.” His sapling hummed, letting Bill tilt up his head. “’ts waaarm” Dipper nuzzled his head into his chest, and Bill smiled, pulling him close.</p><p> </p><p>    They were content to stay like that for a while, just him and his Pine needle.</p><p> </p><p>    It was quiet, the rustling of leaves and the far-off chirping of birds muffled by the window.</p><p> </p><p>    They would be alright.</p>
<hr/><p>    <em>They’ll be happy to know, that as you saw me go, I was singing this song.</em></p><p> </p><p>    Bill held his notebook close to his chest, letting himself catch his breath.</p><p> </p><p>    That was a bit too close for comfort.</p><p> </p><p>    It was lucky that he'd been able to get all he needed from them.</p><p> </p><p>    After he caught his breath, he made his way up the hill in the dark, to where there was a lantern in the window of the old Virginia house. He nocked a pattern on the wood, holding his notebook tight. A woman opened the door, expecting him, a candle in hand.</p><p> </p><p>    “Captain. Welcome back.” She let him in, bringing him to the kitchen where there was a pot of warm soup waiting.</p><p> </p><p>    “I hope I’m not intruding. I needed to get this to you.” Bill held out his notebook as she poured him a bowl of the warm liquid.</p><p> </p><p>    “Not at all. You are always welcome here.” She handed him the bowl, and he gratefully ate it. “This came in the mail for you today.” She dropped a letter in front of him, the envelope thick with the contents. He gave her a grateful smile, and she nodded, walking out, but staying by the doorway for a few seconds. “Try to get some rest, Captain. You’ll need it. Let me or Mabel know if you need anything.”</p><p> </p><p>    “Thank you, Miss Northwest.” She nodded again and went to bed, and he opened his letter happily, getting some more paper and a pen.</p><p> </p><p>    His love’s neat handwriting was a welcome sight to his tired eyes. He flipped the first page over, looking for the key to his Pinetree’s letter, smirking softly as he found it. He could see Dipper’s smirk as he wrote this. He laughed softly, careful to not wake anyone up.</p><p> </p><p>    He got to work deciphering the letter, careful to not make mistakes.</p><p> </p><p>     The birds were chirping outside his window when Mabel came down the stairs to the kitchen to find Bill asleep on a scattering of papers. She shook her head, moving him out of the way, letting him rest.</p>
<hr/><p>    <em>We’ll meet again, don’t know where,</em></p><p> </p><p>    A few days later, there was a knock on the door.</p><p> </p><p>    “I have a letter here for William Lorenz?” Bill perked up, getting his letter from the mailman. He thanked him, going back to his workspace and opening the letter with a smile. He leaned back in his chair, thinking.</p><p> </p><p>    He missed Dipper. A lot. He’d almost say that it felt wrong deep in his heart to be apart from him, but he knew that was probably wrong.</p><p> </p><p>    Still, he missed him. He missed the way that he smiled, the way he laughed. He missed his Pinetree. The twinkle he would get in his eyes when he had figured something out, the way his face would contort when he was focused on something, lips pursed, and brow furrowed.</p><p> </p><p>    He had the strangest feeling that this wasn’t the first time he’s felt this way about him. That he’s thought this before, that he’s stared at those eyes before.</p><p> </p><p>    A wave of nausea came crashing over him, blue waves. And suddenly, he was out of his own head. And on a ship that felt strangely like home.</p><p> </p><p>    A familiar laugh reached his? Ears, the sound a joy to hear. He turned, looking at a brown-haired man. He wore a vaguely clean white shirt, a pair of brown pants and a bandanna. He looked like he was at home here, talking with his- someone’s crew. Bill got the distinct impression that this was his crew, his ship, and his lover. Past him walked forward, joining his crew. His love looked at him curiously, and past him just cocked his head while Bill watched the scene unfold.</p><p> </p><p>    “So sorry lads, but I’m going to have to steal Dipper here for something. I hope you all don’t mind.” Past him said, and his mind was whirring.</p><p> </p><p>    Dipper.</p><p> </p><p>    <em>Dipper.</em></p><p> </p><p>    His Pinetree, his sapling, his love, was his <em>soulmate.</em></p><p> </p><p>Past him ran his fingers through his hair, staring at his lover with love in his eyes as Dipper looked in awe at the pipe organ in front of him.</p><p> </p><p>    “Can you play it?” Past him shrugged.</p><p> </p><p>    “For the most part. Might be a bit out of tune though. Here,” Past him sat down, patting the space on the bench next to him, and Dipper eagerly sat there. He played a chord, letting the sound ring through the room and the rest of the ship. He started playing, soft notes ringing through the room, going through the range of the pipes, steady low notes played with one hand and a traveling pattern moving up and down across the higher notes played with the other, changing chords occasionally.</p><p> </p><p>    Dipper looked utterly enchanted by the ringing notes of the last chord, and the stars themselves were not as bright as those in his eyes.</p><p> </p><p>    “Bill? Can…” He nudged himself closer. “Can you play another?” His breath caught in his throat, and he could swear that his heart itself stopped beating for this man in front of him. He coughed, and caught up to himself.</p><p> </p><p>    “Y- Yeah, Pinetree. Any requests?” The shine in his love’s eye was worth more than the world to him.</p>
<hr/><p>    <em>Don’t know when! But I know we’ll meet again some sunny day</em></p><p> </p><p>    Bill waved to Miss Northwest, walking down the road. He had been called to Yorktown for, hopefully, the last battle of the war. Washington had wanted everyone they could to come down and help with their plan. So, Bill began the long journey to Yorktown, bag of papers and clothes over his shoulder and light feet.</p><p> </p><p>    He was going to see his soulmate, his love, his Pinetree again, so soon. He couldn’t wait. As he walked, his mind wandered, thoughts going from what he was going to do after the war was over and what had recently happened in the book he was reading.</p><p> </p><p>    But above all, he couldn’t wait to see Dipper again.</p>
<hr/><p>    <em>Keep smiling through, just like you always do</em></p><p> </p><p>    By the time Bill reached Yorktown, the battle was already full-on raging. He made his way to the field, to a commanding officer, and went to go help. He was given a rifle, and told where to go, and he went.</p><p> </p><p>    The carnage scattered across the field was a sight to behold, a grimacing sight. The grass below his feet was stained with red, and the shouts of the injured grated on his ears. He could feel the handle of the rifle he was given under his fingertips, the taste of blood and the sharp metallic smell of bullets and blood drafting through the air. The midday sky was beating down on the corpses, hours of fighting gone by since he first joined the fray.</p><p> </p><p>    None of this was important to him as his love fell to the earth amongst the other injured and dead.</p><p> </p><p>    He ignored the shouts of his comrades as he broke through the fighting masses, making his way quickly to his love. None of it mattered.</p><p> </p><p>    A burning pain went through his leg, almost as if someone had strapped several very hot potatoes on it. None of it mattered.</p><p> </p><p>    He finally made his way to Dipper, kneeling down and picking him up. There were tears running down his face. It didn’t matter.</p><p> </p><p>    “Dipper? Dipper please.” He buried his head in his love’s almost lifeless neck. “Dipper please stay with me.” He could feel the gore on his knees, the blood on his face and on his hands. It didn’t matter.</p><p>    “Bill?” His eyes opened, just briefly, looking at him.</p><p>    “Pinetree” Tears splashed on Dipper’s face, and he flinched slightly. “Pinetree please. Stay with me. Please.”</p><p>    “Bill” he groaned “You’re going to get hurt or killed. Leave me. Save yourself.” He opened his eyes, looking at Bill and held his face. Bill held his hand, letting himself be with his sapling before he died.</p><p> </p><p>    “I’ll be fine, sapling. Just please.” His voice cracked slightly. “Stay alive for me? Please, Dipper, Pinetree, Sapling. Stay with me?” The tears were fully falling, like a thunderstorm pattering on the ground.</p><p> </p><p>    “Bill please. Save yourself.”</p><p> </p><p>    “I’m not leaving without you. You mean the world to me, Pinetree. So please.” He held Dipper close to him, his breathing slowing. “Stay with me. Please. I love you, Pinetree. Please stay with me.” He felt something hit his back, but he paid it no mind; the only thing that mattered right now was his Pinetree.</p><p> </p><p>    “Bill, you’re bleeding” Dipper touched the spurting blood, concern and worry in his eyes and his voice. Black started seeping into the edges of his vision, and he felt himself hit the earth.</p><p> </p><p>    “I’m sorry, Dipper. I love you.” He held him close to his chest, his eyes drifting close for the last time.</p><p> </p><p>    “I love you too, Bill.” Darkness overtook his vision, and his heart slowly came to a stop.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>QFIl QEB YIRB VHFBV WIREV GSV WZIP XOLFWH UZI ZDZB</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Well this was interesting.</p><p>The song Bill plays on the organ is this one called Oizus by James Heather I'd definitely recommend giving it a listen.<br/>(It's technically piano, but I couldn't find an organ piece that I liked)</p><p>Thank you all so much for the comments, they're amazing and I love them.</p><p>Thanks so much for reading, and I hope you have a good day/evening/night!!!!!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Interlude</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>   The stars above them glistened as they watched the world below them.</p><p> </p><p>   They were close.</p><p> </p><p>   But not close enough.</p><p> </p><p>   They turned, watching the other.</p><p> </p><p>   Sometimes things were different with them, but their souls were the same. Maybe a bit hurt, maybe a bit worn around the edges, but the Pinetree and the triangle were, in essence, the same as when they started.</p><p> </p><p>    Maybe that’d change</p><p> </p><p>    Maybe it wouldn’t.</p><p> </p><p>    They just knew that they’d be more hurt by the end, whether it be through external sources, or themselves. It’d hurt.</p><p> </p><p>    And they almost felt bad for them.</p><p> </p><p>    Almost.</p><p> </p><p>    The Axolotl, in their wisdom, knew better than to interfere with them.</p><p> </p><p>    They’d only end up more hurt than what would’ve happened had they not.</p><p> </p><p>    So, they would watch, see as they traveled through the world, through time, together and apart.</p><p> </p><p>    Watch as one died at a young age, leaving the other wondering why they felt so empty; as one murdered the other; as one never met the other.</p><p> </p><p>    They couldn’t do anything to change it. So, they would let it happen.</p><p> </p><p>    They would still do amazing things together.</p><p> </p><p>    Already had done amazing things together.</p><p> </p><p>    They would be alright.</p><p> </p><p>DVOO BLF OLLP ORPV BLFIHVOU, YRQ VLROB PLJBYLAV BIPB</p>
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